Results 14,941-14,960 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that a suitable permanent site for the school to which he refers has been identified and the acquisition process is underway. When this process is complete, the proposed project for the school concerned will progress into architectural planning.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that a suitable site has been identified and the acquisition process is underway for the purpose of providing permanent school accommodation in Carrigtwohill. As the Deputy will be aware, however, a process is currently underway by the Patron in relation to the proposed amalgamation of the two schools concerned. The building project that it will be possible to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question is co-located in a permanent building with another school in Kilbarrack. This arrangement is possible due to declining enrolments in the other school. I also wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provided funding to the school last November to re-configure its existing accommodation to facilitate the delivery of additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Under the terms of my Department's Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 or 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) will be applied on a multi-annual basis for the years 2016 and 2017. The Deputy will be aware that details of the 197 successful school applicants in Categories 1 and 2 under the SWS (2016-2017) were announced on 28th April last, details of which are also published on my Department's website, www.education.ie. Under SWS...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the Deputy is referring in this case to the formal proposal received by my Department to amalgamate the two primary schools in Doneraile, County Cork. In that regard, I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department will be in direct contact with the school authority in the matter shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that details of the successful applicants under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) (2016-2017) were announced on 28th April last, details of which are published on my Department's website, www.education.ie. €30 million of the €80 million announced for the multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017) is now being allocated for vital gas works and electrical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: Officials in my Department have confirmed that the student referred to by the Deputy, has appealed the decision of the awarding authority to the statutory independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The appeal was received by the Board on 28 April 2016 and will be heard within the 60 day timeframe provided for in the Student Support Act 2011. The Board will notify the student directly of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Drugs Strategy (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department is represented on the Steering Group that has been established by the Department of Health to develop a new National Drugs Strategy. As part of the development of the new strategy, the Department of Health has engaged an independent expert team to conduct a review of the implementation of the current strategy. Officials from my Department met with the expert team conducting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 95 together. The Government has committed to establishing a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the Public Service, including the entry pay levels to which the Deputy refers. The Government recognises the importance of being able to attract quality new entrants to the Public Service, particularly so in important professional areas...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take questions 92 and 93 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism, should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to by the Deputy was allocated a grant under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme in 2013. To date the school authority have not submitted the required documentation to draw down the allocated funding. The Planning and Building Unit of my Department are currently liaising with the school authority in an effort to resolve this matter. As soon as the required...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: Schemes were initiated in 1978 and 1979 for the employment of Clerical Officers and Caretakers in primary and secondary schools. While a small number of these staff remain in schools, the schemes are being phased out and have been superseded by a more extensive grant scheme. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme now receive capitation grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce class sizes at primary level. Budget 2016 provides for a one point adjustment to the staffing allocation to primary schools, which will be implemented for the 2016/17 school year. This will see the primary staffing schedule operate on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils. Lower thresholds apply...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The Board of the SEC is currently undertaking a review of the operation of the RACE Scheme. As part of this review the SEC is considering the recent High Court Judicial Review findings referred to by the Deputy. Following the review the SEC will develop...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Review (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Under the terms of my Department's Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 or 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the impact budgetary decisions taken in our economic crisis have had on capitation and related grants to our primary and second level schools. I do recognise the need to improve capitation funding for primary and secondary schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over the recent years. In 2015 the first increase in education spending was secured in recent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Speech and Language Therapy Provision (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for a Partnership Government states that a new model of In-School Speech and Language Therapy will be established. It commits to investing an extra €500million in education by 2021 through measures including childcare subventions, HSE Speech and Language Therapists, to bring the number up to 1,102 (a 25% increase). As committed to in the Programme for a Partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (18 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for the provision of a PE hall for the school in question. I wish to advise the Deputy that due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding towards the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not possible at this point to provide an...

Order of Business (19 May 2016)

Richard Bruton: That is crucial.