Results 15,421-15,440 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Staff (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Under the terms of the Guidelines for the staffing of Ministerial Offices as published in July 2014 the number of staff at a Minister's Constituency office may not exceed 4. Presently, there are 3.6 staff assigned to the Minister's constituency office.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that an application has recently been received from the school referred to by the Deputy for financial assistance towards the cost of purchasing additional land, in order to extend the school site. This matter is being considered and my Department will be in contact with the school authorities in this regard shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together. The application from the school to which the Deputy refers is currently being re-considered. The Planning and Building unit of my Department will be in contact with the school directly when a decision has been taken in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small and medium scale improvement works that will upgrade existing school facilities, which can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The scheme is designed to address necessary and immediate works within the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Government has committed to establishing a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the Public Service, including entry pay levels. The terms of reference and timescale for the Commission's work are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Government recognises the importance of being able to attract quality new entrants to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2016/2017 school year is set out in Circular 0007/2016. 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 30 September 2015. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 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. This Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cúrsaí Gaeilge (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Tá méadú tagtha ar líon iomlán na nGaelscoileanna ó 224 in 2000 go dtí 247 in 2016. Ó 2011 i leith, ní gnách scoileanna nua a thógáil ach amháin i gceantair ina bhfuil méadú ag teacht ar an daonra. Baineann mo Roinnse leas as Córas Faisnéise Geografaí chun na ceantair is mó atá faoi...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is, since 2006, the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession. The Teaching Council Act has been commenced on a phased basis and the next step in the commencement schedule is Part 5 (Fitness to Teach), the provisions for which were amended in the Teaching Council (Amendment) Act...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. All statutory approvals have been obtained and the Stage 2b submission has been approved by my Department. However, on 1st January 2016 there were 66 major projects under construction. Since the start of this year 14 more major projects have been progressed to construction and there...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Government is committed to progressing the patronage divesting process to provide greater choice to parents in areas of stable population, as well as ensuring that parental preferences are key to patronage decisions on new schools established in areas of demographic growth. Since 2011, the arrangements for the establishment of new schools in areas of growing population have resulted in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Arts in Education Charter (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Arts in Education Charter, launched in 2013, has been a landmark development in relation to the promotion of arts education and arts in education in Ireland. The Charter is an initiative of the Department of Education and Skills, the then Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, working in association with the Arts Council. I am delighted to report progress on the Charter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Funding (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: In 2015 the first increase in education spending was secured in recent years and a further increase in education spending was achieved in 2016. I am determined to continue pressing the case for increased investment, including grant funding in education. In relation to capitation levels for future years, the recently published Programme for a Partnership Government is committed to investing an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Closures (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I am aware that the Patron of the school in question set up a Task Force to consider options for the future of the school. I understand that the Task Force Report was adopted by the Patron at its recent meeting and that work on the recommendations to increase enrolments will now commence with the school community. I understand also that the report has been presented to all the stakeholder groups.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Expenditure (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department's Planning and Building Unit has no record of any agreement to pay additional grant aid to the school in question. In 2004 the school authority was allocated a devolved grant of €100,000 to enable it to provide a one classroom special needs unit at the school. This grant was subsequently increased to €281,000 to enable a second classroom to be provided and to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Schools are not permitted to discriminate against an applicant for admission on any of the grounds set out in the Equal Status Act, 2000. However, Section 7 (3)(c) of the Equal Status Act 2000 provides that an educational establishment does not discriminate where the establishment is a school providing primary or post-primary education to students and the objective of the school is to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Article 42.1 of the Constitution acknowledges that the primary and natural educator of the child is the Family and guarantees to respect the right of parents in this regard. It is important to be clear that it is a parent who decides the religious denomination of their child. It is not a decision of a school. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The agreement to put in place Deeds of Variation for Charging Leases or Declarations of Trust dates back to the 1990's. At that time there were negotiations on the reconstitution of Boards of Management of primary schools. It was agreed that patrons would no longer nominate a majority of the members of a Board of Management. In return, it was agreed that Deeds of Variation would be put in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding in 2015 under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide a resource classroom. The school has applied for a grant uplift. This request is currently under consideration in the context of additional information requested and recently received. The Department will be in contact with the school directly when a decision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Labour Court Recommendations (14 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Issues relating to pay in the Institute were subject to an internal job evaluation exercise which was carried out by Price Waterhouse Coopers and which was intended to establish the correct rate of pay for grades in the Tyndall National Institute. At the outset the parties agreed that the conclusions of the job evaluation exercise could be appealed on an individual basis to an independent...