Results 25,601-25,620 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: When schools are implementing the new Framework for Junior Cycle, they have the autonomy and flexibility to design programmes within the parameters of the framework, mindful in particular of the needs of their students and their teaching resources. I am in favour of leaving the decisions on what is offered to the discretion of the school, and of students having as broad a range of options to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: All initial teacher education programmes, including the development of any streamlined programme as referred to by the Deputy, that lead to registration must have professional accreditation from the Teaching Council, based on the Council's review and accreditation strategy and its accreditation criteria. Accordingly, it would be a matter for the HEI developing the programme to obtain...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities, who have additional and significant care needs, in an educational context. They may be appointed to a special school or a mainstream national school to assist school authorities in making suitable provision for a pupil or pupils with special care needs arising from a disability. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circular 31/2011, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers and ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Letter of Intent for this school project issued on 21st September 2018. The Letter of Acceptance appointing the contractor is expected to be issued in Quarter 4 of 2018 when all the necessary documentation has been received from the preferred bidder. The project is expected to reach completion in Q3 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998 the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. My Department is not aware if any audit has been carried out on those schools where vending machines have been installed by the school Board of Management. It is a matter for each individual school to determine the nature of any fundraising activities that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Lifeskills Survey data provides important information which informs Departmental priorities and policies in the areas of health and wellbeing for students. The findings from the survey highlight the work being done in schools to equip students with a range of essential lifeskills, including physical activity and healthy eating, aspects of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (2 Oct 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: Schools Site Acquisitions (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a project to deliver permanent accommodation for the new post primary school to serve Castleknock and Carpenterstown is included on my Department's capital programme. Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Department did not have a stand at the National Ploughing Championships. Two members of the Department's staff, who work within the European Social Fund Managing Authority (ESF MA), attended as part of the European Commission's Representation in Ireland tent, as did their colleagues from the European Regional Development Fund Managing Authorities. The purpose of the ESF MA staff’s...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am not aware of this particular problem. I will talk to the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, and departmental officials to see what is causing the delay in issuing the grant. I will get back to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will know I met him and others about this when I visited Donegal in the recent past. We are working very closely with Donegal County Council to seek to secure a solution. I am aware of the newspaper reports the Deputy mentioned. At this point I am not in a position to clarify the way forward. I will communicate with the Deputy and other Deputies as soon as any clarification is...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am glad to say I have been in a position to commence a number of the measures to date, specifically, the restriction on the use of religion in admission to primary schools and the provision in regard to giving the Minister the power to designate a school to open an ASD unit, which was something Deputy Thomas Byrne was very keen to see included in the Bill. There is also commencement of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (3 Oct 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. In the context of progressing the building project, my Department has undertaken a site visit to the school and the schedule of accommodation and project brief is currently being devised. My Department will liaise directly with the school authority on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Staff (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I understand from the Deputy that the support staff referred to are non-teaching staff based in colleges of further education employed in CDETB. The position is that ETBs receives an administration & maintenance staffing allocation from my Department. The way in which such staffing is allocated to individual ETB schools, colleges and other activities within the CDETB is entirely a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Stage 2(b) submission has been reviewed by the Department and comments were issued to the school and its Design Team. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (3 Oct 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: Teachers' Remuneration (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: In the second report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body (issued in December 2007), the Body recommended pay increases for 15 grades, including changes to the allowance payable to Principals of primary schools and of small post-primary schools. This measure was not implemented due to the State’s worsening financial circumstances. Implementation of recommendations of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: Building on measures in previous budgets to enhance school leadership, Budget 2018 made €0.4 million available to fund almost 4600 additional release days for teaching principals in primary schools. This additional funding has provided an increase in the number of release days available to teaching principals in the 2018/19 school year to 17, 23 or 29 days depending on the size of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: Budget 2017 allowed for the commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an agreed distributed leadership model and meant lifting the rigidity of the longstanding moratorium on these posts at primary and post-primary levels. This recognises the key role school leadership has in promoting a school environment which is welcoming, inclusive and accountable. €2.75m...