Results 15,301-15,320 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Since 2006, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory responsibility and authority for regulation of the teaching profession, including the registration of teachers under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015. Under the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2009, Regulation 3 (Montessori and other categories), graduates with certain Montessori qualifications (Level 8 on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Reform (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Students currently in second year of Junior Cycle who have not completed their first Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) will, as agreed with the teacher unions, have the opportunity to complete this early in the first term of the coming school year. It is a matter of deep regret that ASTI has failed to deliver on the 2015 agreement with their leadership. Their continuing refusal to cooperate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: In our Programme for Partnership Government we have set out a commitment to introduce a new Leaving Certificate Physical Education syllabus. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has advanced this work. It will be a priority of my Government to ensure its implementation. When introduced, it will be on a par with English and History, for example. I wish to assure the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 208 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that Section 2 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004, providing for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs and the sections of the Act which placed the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on a statutory footing, were commenced in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Facilities (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Third Level Colleges and Institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for the day to day management of their affairs including the rental of accommodation. Therefore, the information requested by the Deputy is not maintained by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The SEC operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE scheme). The RACE scheme enables access to the Leaving and Junior Certificate examinations by students with special needs which include specific learning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capital Expenditure Programme (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 240 together. The 2016-2021 Capital Plan provides funding of €350m for the Third Level Sector. This consists of a direct Exchequer investment of €150m, including €40m already allocated to the Grangegorman project, and €200m worth of funding for PPP projects. These are critically important and very welcome investments which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Care and Education (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: In relation to school starting age, the compulsory school starting age is 6 years of age and the Rules for National Schools provide that a child must be at least 4 years of age before being enrolled in a National School. The Programme for Government gives a commitment to target investment in children's early years and in this regard, one of the measures refers to a second free preschool...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Asylum Support Services (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a Pilot Support Scheme was introduced last year for students who are in the Protection System or at the Leave to Remain (but not deportation order) stage. The scheme was intended to provide supports to qualifying students which were similar to those available in the statutory based Student Grant Scheme. A total of 39 applicants applied for the pilot scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The overall policy of my Department is to offer the best quality connectivity to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in line with technical solutions available in the market and within required financial parameters. All post primary schools receive at least 100mbts connectivity through a programme undertaken jointly between the Department of Communications Energy and Natural...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, it is my intention in accordance with the Programme for Government to replace school prefabs with permanent accommodation over the lifetime of my Department's capital programme 2016-2021. To enable this development, my Department will be carrying out an assessment of the number of prefabs being used in schools to deliver the curriculum to determine whether or not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Since the start of 2016 my Department has spent just over €11 million on the rental of temporary accommodation at primary and post primary schools.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Staff (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). My Department, over the course of recent economic difficulties, has not only maintained...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Expenditure (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy may be aware that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). NEPS is a division within my Department and is therefore funded from voted monies to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy may be aware that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). I can inform the Deputy that my Department, over the course of recent economic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). My Department, over the course of recent economic difficulties, has not only maintained...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Services Provision (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Health therapy supports for children with disabilities, including physical and sensory therapy supports are provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE). The HSE, which has statutory responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services, is currently engaged in a reconfiguration of existing health related therapy resources for children with complex needs,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 212 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that spending on provision for children with Special Educational Needs has been prioritised in recent years, despite the enormous pressures on all public spending. Funding for special education provision in 2016 will amount to some €1.4 billion, which is equivalent to approximately 17% of the gross...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Education Review (8 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that recent years have seen very significant increases in the number of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) which are being provided to school to support children with special educational care needs. The number of SNA posts available for allocation to schools has increased from 10,575 posts in 2011, to 12,040 to June 2016. In the same period the number of children...