Results 25,281-25,300 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question submitted an application for additional accommodation. The application will be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.  The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: Department approval is given for the appointment of a Principal to all new schools from 1 September of the school year prior to the opening of a new school.  The recruitment and appointment of a Principal is a matter for the individual school authority. 

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (7 Sep 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The company referred to by the Deputy entered examinership in April 2018 and was subsequently liquidated on 5 June 2018.   The Department of Education and Skills has been made aware of payment difficulties faced by a number of sub-contractors which had been engaged by the company under reference in respect of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP project and other non-PPP school projects....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB).  My Department gave approval to the ETB in June 2018 to proceed to appoint a Design Team for this project. It is a matter for the ETB to progress this appointment. That process is currently underway.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: KWETB received eight expressions of interest for the completion of the project to which the Deputy refers within the timeframe set for receipt of same. These expressions of interest will now inform the pre-qualification process that is underway.  The project remains on target to issue tender documents to the relevant contractors on 8thNovember which is the date that had...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school building project to which the Deputy refers is currently at construction stage.  The Letter of Acceptance issued on Friday 17th August 2018 which commenced the school building contract.  The contractor appointed is MEIC Limited.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design. This project was authorised to commence the Pre-Qualification of Contractors in April 2018. The Design Team submitted a draft pre-qualification report on 25th July 2018 and the Department reverted with feedback on 13th August.  The Design Team is currently in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which she refers has been devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education & Training Board (ETB). The pre-qualification report from the Design Team is due to be completed and submitted to the ETB in mid October 2018.  It is not possible to say at this stage when the preferred tenderer will be chosen.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (7 Sep 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 of status. The application is being considered and my Department will be in further contact with the Patron as part of this process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: As indicated in my response to previous Parliamentary Questions, engagement with the vendor is ongoing in respect of outstanding clarifications regarding the proposed school site acquisition. Therefore, the appointment of a design team cannot be progressed yet but Department officials will work to do so as soon as it is possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 246 to 248, inclusive, together. All initial teacher education programmes in Ireland that lead to registration must have professional accreditation from the Teaching Council. The Teaching Council's (Registration) Regulations 2016 set out the routes under which teachers are eligible to apply for registration. A degree in Early Childhood Teaching and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The College concerned is a privately owned on-line third level education entity in respect of which my Department does not have any regulatory function. Programmes of initial teacher education provided in the State including those offered by this College must be accredited by the Teaching Council.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department’s immediate capital funding priority is providing 20,000 new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place. To ensure that this is achieved, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally is the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years.  The Six Year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a place for every applicant, a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Expenditure (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that my Department provides a wide range of resources and supports to DEIS schools each year.  Such resources include additional teaching posts, grants, curriculum supports, priority access to Continuing Professional Development, etc.  The full list is available on my Department's website at the following link:  The purpose of the overall suite of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017.  These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools.  The new Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks Rental Scheme (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 255 and 278 to 280, inclusive, together. My Department supports the operation of book rental schemes through the funding provided under the School Books Grant Scheme. Under this scheme, my Department provides funding of €16.6m annually to primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. School book rental schemes have an important role to...