Results 15,661-15,680 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

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

Richard Bruton: The new junior cycle aims to ensure that our students will develop the key skills that are necessary for later learning and for life. It is designed to encourage innovation in schools and creative teaching and learning in the classroom. The dual approach to assessment in the new junior cycle and the prominence it gives to classroom based assessment and formative assessment will develop...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. While officials from my Department meet regularly with officials from Caranua, it is the Board of Caranau, which is representative of survivors, that would have approved the introduction of financial limits. Caranua has,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 155 together. Budget 2016 made provision for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools next year. These posts will provide for an improvement in the staffing schedules at primary and post primary levels, enhance the leadership and management roles of deputy principals at post-primary level by reducing their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Remuneration (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: As a consequence of the financial crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country's public finances. A previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable to all new entrants to public service recruitment grades by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011. This decision also required that such new entrants would start...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools Scheme (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that there are 836 schools (646 primary and 190 Post Primary) in the DEIS Programme for 2015/16 school year. An extensive identification process was conducted by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) on behalf of the Department in 2005 to select the schools for inclusion in the DEIS Programme on the basis of their relative level of disadvantage – with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Disputes (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Teaching Council is the statutory body with responsibility for professional standards at all stages of the teaching career. In that context, it has established standards for post-qualification professional practice, as set out in, Droichead, the new model of induction for newly qualified primary and post-primary teachers. The model ensures that the same standards and requirements apply...

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

Richard Bruton: While my Department prescribes curricula and syllabuses for implementation in schools it does not endorse any textbooks for use in schools. It is a matter for individual schools to select the resources and textbooks available to support their implementation of the curricula or syllabuses that the Department has prescribed. The decision to use tablets or similar devices is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Patrúnacht Scoile (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together. Faoi láthair tá 4,009 scoil in Éirinn, 3,286 bunscoil ar a n-áirítear 141 scoil speisialta, agus 723 iar-bhunscoil. Tá sonraí faoi na scoileanna seo agus faoin bpátrúnacht atá orthu le fáil ar shuíomh idirlín na Roinne www.education.ie Mar is eol gan dabht don Teachta,...

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

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which she refers currently has a major building project at construction. This project is for a new school building and is devolved to the OPW for delivery. It is anticipated that the project will be completed in October 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers was included in the Department's 6 Year Capital Programme announced last November. The project is being progressed with a view to proceeding to tender / construction in 2017, as outlined in the programme. My Department is currently finalising the project brief and once this process is complete, the project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Officials from my Department have worked closely with officials from Meath County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of a site for this building project.A suitable site has been identified and negotiations with the Vendor of this site are underway. Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at stage 2(a) of architectural planning, Developed Design Stage. Statutory approvals have been obtained for this project. Upon successful completion of Stage 2(a), the project will progress to complete Stage 2(b), Detailed Design, which will include the preparation of Tender Documents for Contractors. Until such time as...

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

Richard Bruton: Currently, over 90% of students choose history although it is compulsory in only half our schools. Curriculum choice and flexibility is important in motivating students to learn and to remain in school to completion of senior cycle. It is important that our pupils are taught about significant national and international events in history. This underlies the emphasis on History in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) support to mainstream Primary, Post Primary and Special Schools, to assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. The NCSE makes such...

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

Richard Bruton: My Department carries out demographic analyses at primary and post-primary level using the Department's Geographical Information System to identify areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my own Department's databases. Arising from the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: 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 interventions, special school or special class places...

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

Richard Bruton: My Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and my Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take questions 153 and 162 together. Up until September 2012, an ex-quota allocation was provided for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation to post primary schools. This resource was allocated in accordance with pupil enrolment. Some 42% of second-level schools at the time were allocated at least 22 hours per week in respect of guidance (22 hours being the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: 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 interventions, special school or special class places are also available. Children,...