Results 24,821-24,840 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received an application from the Patron, of the school in question, for a change in status.  The application is currently under consideration and a decision will be conveyed to the Patron as soon as this process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the project brief for the school in question has been finalised and furnished to the Patron who I understand has provided details directly to the school. The project will include the construction of additional classrooms and ancillary accommodation. My Department will be in further contact with the school authority relating to the commencement of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Student Accommodation Strategy (NSAS) was published in July of 2017 and was delivered as part of the Government’s housing strategy Rebuilding Ireland. The National Student Accommodation Strategy is an important element of the overall housing strategy, in ensuring that increased levels of student accommodation are available to meet the needs of our growing student cohort....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The student maintenance grant is a contribution towards the living costs of a student.  It is not intended to cover the full costs of attending college.  The student grant scheme does however, provide for different levels of maintenance support, depending on means.  Grants are also provided at adjacent and non-adjacent rates.  The higher non-adjacent rates are intended to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The specification for the new Leaving Certificate Computer Science (LCCS) subject was approved by the Council of the NCCA and the Minister in December 2017. Following a public call to schools, the Steering Group established to oversee implementation of LCCS selected and approved 40 schools that will introduce the subject in September 2018 as part of the phase 1 roll-out. The first examination...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The specification for Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE) will provide learners with an opportunity to study physical education for the Leaving Certificate examination, providing an additional optional Leaving Certificate subject. The new examinable subject will be introduced in September 2018 into a cohort of 64 post-primary schools participating in the phase 1 implementation of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: A new specification for Leaving Certificate Politics and Society was introduced in September 2016 to a selected Phase 1 cohort of 41 schools who were selected from almost 120, following an open invitation to introduce this as an optional Leaving Certificate subject. The first examination in Leaving Certificate Politics and Society took place on 20 June, 2018. The introduction of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Officials at my Department are recruited by way of competitive competitions conducted by the Public Appointment Service (PAS). On appointment at the Department officials are presented with a copy of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour which outlines the standards required of Civil Servants in the discharge of their duties. For ease of reference for the Deputy I have attached a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will provide a 16-classroom school on the site. The original brief for the school was for 8 classrooms but was increased due to greater enrolments. The need to replace the Design Team arose from a fees uplift request for each member of the design team which greatly exceeded the 50% upper limit increase allowed under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Traveller-Roma Integration Strategy (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: My colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality published the National Traveller Roma Inclusion Strategy in June of last year. My department participated in the development of the strategy and is a member of the Steering Group which was established to oversee the implementation of the new strategy. Membership of the Steering Group includes all relevant Government Departments, Agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme. The project is currently at project identification stage. My Department intends to contact the school to discuss the next steps shortly. These steps will include the completion of an Educational Work Sheet, by the school, the assignation of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Speech and Language Therapy (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I recently announced that a demonstration project to provide in-school and pre-school therapy services will be introduced for the 2018/19 school year. The project will be managed and co-ordinated by the National Council for Special Education. The model has been developed by the Departments of Education, Children and Youth Affairs, Health, and the Health Service Executive, and is part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including a new 8 classroom primary school to be established in 2019 for the area referred to by the Deputy. This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including a new 8 classroom primary school to be established in 2019 for the area referred to by the Deputy. A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. This patronage...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Administration (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senator Gallagher for his kind remarks and for postponing this debate so that I could be in the Chamber to take it. I absolutely agree with him that one of the most important things we can invest in is the quality of leadership in our schools. If one looks at what influences a child's success in school, one is the teacher he or she experiences and second is the quality of the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Administration (26 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Like all other measures, we will have to weigh up its impact on outcomes. I am totally focussed on outcomes. I wish to pursue measures which lead to children doing better. The Senator's request is quite substantial. As I stated, I granted two to four extra days this year. Senator Gallagher requests an additional seven to 19 days, which would be a significant step up from what we have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I assume the Deputy means survivors of children’s residential institutional abuse who applied to the Redress Board, not survivors of the Redress Board.  The Residential Institutions Redress Board was established in late 2002 to make fair and reasonable awards to persons who, as children, were abused while resident in any of 139 specified institutions. Awards were made following...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Students (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Presently, there are approximately 700 students from Kuwait studying in Irish Higher Education Institutions. The majority of these students are studying in the medical fields. Enterprise Ireland, who are responsible for promoting the Irish education system internationally, through the Education in Ireland brand, are working closely with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Higher Education,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently in negotiations to purchase the building currently occupied by the school. When ownership transfers to my Department, arrangements to refurbish the building will be initiated.  My Department will be in contact with the school authority at that point.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's Capital Programme. The project for this school has been identified for delivery as part of a programme for the appointment of a Programme Manager.  My Department expects to be in further contact with the school authority shortly on the matter.