Results 25,541-25,560 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Teachers' Remuneration (26 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: Again, the Deputy did not listen to the answer. It was two, three and four days a week depending on the size of the school. In addition, I have provided clusters where schools can pool their resources to take on a permanent position to support them. We are making progress. I am glad the Deputy is urging more investment in education because it is something I want to do. The Deputy should...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Private Schools (26 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The post primary school St. Killian’s Deutsche Schule, Roebuck Road, Clonskeagh Dublin 14 referred to by the Deputy is a Department recognised fee charging school which receives a staffing allocation from my Department in line with all other fee paying schools. As a post primary fee charging school St. Killian Deutsche Schule receives no capitation funding from my Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (26 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that funding is being provided by my Department in respect of rented prefabricated accommodation for the schools indicated in the below table.In this regard I wish to advise the Deputy that it is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to determine how classes are accommodated in the property that is available to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Centre Network (26 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The principal activity of Education Centres is to organise the local delivery of national programmes of teacher professional development on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. Centres also organise a varied local programme of activities for teachers, school management and parents in response to demand. Education Centres are independent statutory bodies under Section 37 of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (26 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: I recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years. Restoring capitation funding as resources permit is one of the actions included in the Action Plan for Education and I remain committed to achieving this. However, I must be prudent in the context of ongoing budgetary pressures and prioritise where it is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Data (26 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: Up to the week ending 2 September 2018, the total number of SUSI applications for the 2018/19 academic year was 91,500. Of these, a total of 74,000 had received an initial assessment decision with 63,900 awarded a grant, 8,400 refused a grant and 1,700 applications were cancelled. With regard to appeals, it is open to any applicant to appeal a decision. Some applicants appeal a decision...

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

Richard Bruton: Under the Student Grants Scheme student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally. The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be fair and reasonable because this approach eliminates any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (26 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides a number of mechanisms through which improvements are carried out in schools.  Through the 6 year Capital Programme, the investment plan is about looking to the future and ensuring that our school infrastructure is well prepared to accommodate our growing school population.  The programme also addresses the requirements of many...

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

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, in April 2018 I announced the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four year period from 2019 to 2022. In that regard the 17 schools due to open in September 2019 remain on schedule. I wish to advise the Deputy that the first of the patronage processes for the new schools is ongoing in respect of the four new post-primary schools to be established in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Tender Process (26 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department has run a tender process for a new Framework for the appointment of Design Teams and it is nearing completion. In the meantime the current Framework is still in place and is being used for the procurement of Design Teams in all counties including Wicklow. This process is not causing delays to the progression of building projects that are ready for progression to Architectural...

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

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, I have announced new plans aimed at accelerating the provision of multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of parents, families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment to reach 400 such schools by 2030. I would point out that the previous model of patronage divestment yielded...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (26 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I negotiated, together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, a 15-22% pay increase for new teachers. As a result of these changes, from 1 October 2018 the starting salary of a teacher will be €36,318, and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (27 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: In general terms, there is nothing preventing a lone parent who is in receipt of Rent Supplement, One Parent Family Payment and/or Jobseeker's Allowance Transition payment(s) from applying to SUSI for maintenance funding under the Student Grant Scheme. As such no additional costs would accrue. Rent Supplement, Housing Assistance Payment, Rental Accommodation Scheme, One Parent Family...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which she refers is included in my Department's Capital Programme. In that regard a technical site visit was carried out by my Department at the school's current site with a view to developing the project brief, which is currently being finalised. My Department will continue to liaise with the school authority in respect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (27 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together. The information sought by the Deputy is not routinely collated by my Department. I will arrange to have the material compiled and forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (27 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department recently received an Emergency Works application from the school to which the Deputy refers. This application is currently being assessed and a decision will issue directly to the school authority in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commencement of Legislation (27 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 was signed into law by the President on the 18thJuly 2018. In relation to commencement of the various sections of the Act my Department has sought the advice of the Office of the Attorney General (AGO) in respect of which sections can be commenced immediately. Other sections will require regulations and procedures to be drafted following...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (27 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I negotiated, together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, a 15-22% pay increase for new teachers. As a result of these changes, from 1 October 2018 the starting salary of a teacher will be €36,318, and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (27 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as an independent student or a dependent student. An applicant’s class is defined at his/her first point of entry or re-entry to an approved course and will continue for the duration of his/her studies. In order to be classified as an independent applicant a student must: - Be over 23 years...