Results 15,601-15,620 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Other Questions: Educational Disadvantage (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The budget provision has been made for this year and includes 2,500 additional teachers and 860 additional special needs assistants, SNAs, in schools to provide support. There is a clear commitment to increase the support for education. The DEIS schools will be recipients of that support. What we are doing now is reviewing the whole programme to see whether we can do better in DEIS...

Other Questions: Educational Disadvantage (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: First, the evaluation is not complete so we are not in a position to complete that work. Moreover, the budget is committed at this point. The 2016 budget is already passed and the resources for deploying schools in September have been set.

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is right. This has had something of a chequered history. The project to deliver a new school building was included as part of my Department's six-year capital programme announced in November 2015. The school is currently located in temporary accommodation. A potential site option was proposed by the school at an early stage in the process and, following assessment, was deemed...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: It is encouraging that a suitable site has been identified. It is both technically suitable and available and negotiations have been initiated. Obviously, in a commercial situation I will not jeopardise it by seeking to identify timelines or deadlines, particularly given the history of disappointment. The Deputy raises the wider issue of provision. In their planning of town development...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: That is an issue worth looking at. Obviously, the first tangible piece of evidence is when a child is born. That is a very reliable data source for the Department. A PPS number is issued and enters the planning system. The child concerned is still four and a half or five years away from enrolment. It gives a planning horizon. Generally, the Department has very large catchments which are...

Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following:"Dáil Éireann resolves that the Bill be deemed to be read a second time this day twelve months, to allow for scrutiny between now and then by the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills and for the Committee to consider submissions and hold hearings that have regard in particular...

Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Exactly. We need to proceed with the necessary care that public hearings of the Oireachtas committee would provide us. In that spirit, I commend the amendment to the House.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (28 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 and to determine whether or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I have received the legal opinion that the Deputy has referred to and I can assure the Deputy that I will give it careful consideration. It is acknowledged that any change to the Equal Status Act would be extremely difficult as this is a hugely complex area legally, constitutionally, and in other ways. I note that the previous Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the enrolment policy in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of the school, subject to the approval of the Patron. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The Patron has advised the Department that there has been no...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Literacy Programmes (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department will complete an Interim Review of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy by September 2016. The review was scheduled to begin in 2016 but was brought forward to 2015 as many of the targets set in the Strategy have already been achieved. For example: - The 2020 target to reduce by at least 5% the cohort of primary children performing at the lowest levels of English Reading...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The decision on when a new school is warranted in a School Planning area is based on objective demographic analysis and where a school is warranted, the selection of a patron is an independent process which places a particular emphasis on parental preferences. My Department is focused on ensuring that all schools in an area can between them cater for all students seeking a school place....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (28 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 Enrolments (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to publish new School Admissions legislation taking account of current draft proposals and addressing issues including publication of school enrolment policies, an end to waiting lists, introduction of annual enrolment structures, and transparency and fairness in admissions for pupils and their parents. I have commenced a process of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, the new Programme for Government outlines that this new Government will continue to support the creation of Technological Universities. The first Government Legislative Programme of this new Partnership Government was published on 8 June 2016, and the Technological Universities Bill has been restored to the Dáil Order Paper at Committee Stage. I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Meetings (28 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 and would require broad consultation, including engagement with staff representatives as was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (28 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: EU Directives (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Department of Education and Skills seeks to improve the standard of language education and the language competency of migrant students in the primary and post primary sectors in several ways. Firstly, the Department allocates teachers to teach English as an additional language. Some €100 million is provided to give such additional language support to schools in this academic year....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The decision to use tablet devices is a matter for the Board of Management of a school. Where the introduction of new technology is planned, consultation with members of the school community including parents is advised. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made. An advice sheet on the adoption of tablets in schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to assure the Deputy that I fully recognise the key role of physical education within the school experience. 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...