Results 15,501-15,520 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The position is that higher education universities are autonomous institutions as provided for in the Universities Act 1997 and therefore the criteria governing the level of tuition fees to be charged in the case of postgraduate study is solely a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria. Accordingly, my Department has no function in relation to such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for additional accommodation to establish a second class for pupils with autism. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and Resource Teaching support to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department currently provides July Provision for children with a diagnosis of ASD and/or severe or profound general learning disability. It is not currently proposed to extend the 2016 July Provision Scheme to further disability categories. The 2016 July Provision scheme commenced in April 2016, the deadline for receipt of applications was May 13th 2016. As the Deputy is aware the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application for funding for emergency works from the school in question. However, I can confirm that the school in question submitted an application under Category 6 of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) (2016-17), for roof works. I wish to confirm to the Deputy that valid SWS (2016-2017) applications from schools in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Expulsions (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The position regarding expulsions is that Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department or in the case of an Education and Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, expels a student. In the case of a school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The allocation of the €407.656m is broken down as follows: - €377.2m - Student grants and related activities. - €19.2m - Third Level Access Fund. - €9.5m – SUSI pay and non-pay costs. - €1.7m – Costs associated with scholarships, bursaries, the European University Institute and the Student Grants Appeals Board. The Deputy will be aware that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Under arrangements introduced in 2009 as part of budgetary measures, schools like the one referred to by the Deputy are permitted to fill a caretaker vacancy provided they have no other caretaker. Given that this school already has a caretaker it is not permitted to fill a second caretaker post. Any improvement in these arrangements is dependent on the budgetary position and will, in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application for funding for emergency works from the school in question. However, I can confirm that the school in question submitted an application under Category 5 of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) (2016-17), for upgrade of toilet facilities. I wish to confirm to the Deputy that valid SWS (2016-2017)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to made an application to my Department for significant capital funding for building works. I wish to advise the Deputy that a project for the school, referred to, is not included in my Department's 6 year Construction Programme (2016 - 2021), which is focused on providing additional capacity to meet demographic demand. In the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will appreciate that, in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it is not possible to say whether or not a particular student(s) would qualify for a grant or other supports. Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for a Partnership Government reflects the Government's objective of strengthening parental choice and further expanding diversity in our school system, specifically by increasing the number of non-denominational and multi-denominational schools with a view to reaching 400 by 2030. In addition to the phased transfer of Catholic schools to new patrons already under way, this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department received an application from the school referred to by the Deputy to extend the school's General Purpose Room and Staff Room, and also to address some remedial works. My Department has indicated to the school that due to the competing demands on its capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential classroom...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department currently provides July Provision for children with a diagnosis of ASD and/or severe or profound general learning disability. I understand that the application in respect of the child to whom the Deputy has referred does not indicate either of these disabilities. It is not currently proposed to extend the 2016 July Provision Scheme to further disability categories. The 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Article 15 (3) of the Student Grant Scheme 2015 states that a maintenance grant may continue to be paid, where a student is required to participate in an off-campus placement as a compulsory part of their course, as long as the off-campus placement does not extend the normal duration of the course. The normal duration of the course at the Institute referred to by the Deputy is three...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 to 211, inclusive, together. The Architectural Services for the school building project referred to by the Deputy was provided by an in-house architectural team in the Department of Education & Skills. The builder was J.J. Rhatigan & Company the contract sum was €1,697,524.53 including VAT. The project commenced on site in June 2010...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the defects period on a public works contract is 6 years where a contract is not sealed and 12 years where a contract is sealed. If a roof defect arises within that time, the Department's position would be primarily that it is a matter for the contractor to resolve without recourse to additional funding from the Department. In that regard, therefore, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Grievance Procedures (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware the Programme for a Partnership Government provides that the Government will introduce a stronger complaints procedure and charter for parents, and commence the Fitness to Teach provisions of the Teaching Council Act. The Programme also provides that the role and power of an Ombudsman for Education, to whom a parent could complain and appeal on foot of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware, the building projects for the new post primary schools to serve Malahide/Portmarnock and Swords are included in the 6 year construction programme that was announced last November, and these schools are listed to go to construction in 2019-21. Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together NS is currently in temporary accommodation on a Teagasc-owned property in Kinsealy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (21 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places will arise. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my Department's own databases. The outcome of the latest demographic exercises, based on the GIS, was the announcement in November...