Results 16,361-16,380 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (28 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: In order to be registered as an apprentice by SOLAS, a person must be employed by an approved employer in one of the 27 trades. Recruitment to apprenticeship is therefore driven by employers rather than by SOLAS or by education and training providers. The 2014 Review of Apprenticeship in Ireland acknowledged that the number of women employed in craft apprenticeships is low as this has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Lansdowne Road Agreement (28 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: As is the norm with public service collective agreements, the Lansdowne Road Agreement was negotiated with trade unions which are recognised as representing staff in the public service (including teachers). It is normal practice in the public service that the decision of the trade union recognised as holding representative rights for a particular grade or sector will determine the position...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputies for raising the matter. I assure them that the building project for St. Mochta's national school was included in the six-year programme announced on 17 November 2015 to progress. It is one of the 67 projects that were announced in 2016 to be part of the 2016 programme. Of course the commencement of a programme does not mean that it will actually be constructed until it...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I assure Deputy Ruth Coppinger that, whatever the suspicions of the community are, that is not the position. We have sought to accelerate the project as quickly as possible. The release to tender occurs when projects reach a certain point. This project had not yet reached that stage when the previous Minister released projects to tender last April. I will be working very hard to bring it...

Topical Issue Debate: Cross-Border Projects (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Pascal Donohoe, who is before a committee. The Irish Government remains firmly committed to the full and successful implementation of the PEACE and INTERREG programmes. I am aware of the Deputies' interest in the issue and the Minister and I share their commitment to this important area of...

Topical Issue Debate: Cross-Border Projects (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputies recognise that between us, North and South contribute 15%, and 85% comes from the EU. There is absolutely no question about the Irish Government's commitment to this project. The issue continues to be that we need to have clarity about the EU's commitment and the UK's commitment. Both of these must be in place for us to give the type of assurances the Deputies require. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Charges (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: Based on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2014/15 (and were therefore liable to pay the Student Contribution), and taking into account overall expected increases in student numbers, it is estimated that the cost to my Department of reducing the Student Contribution by €250 for the 2017/18 academic year would be €17m.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application in 2015 for significant capital funding for the replacement of classrooms, additional ancillary accommodation and refurbishment works from the school referred to.  The Deputy will be aware that my Department’s funding priority is focused on the provision of essential classroom accommodation to cater for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: Approved undergraduate courses for the Student Grant Scheme 2016 are prescribed in the Student Support Regulations 2016 and in the Student Support Act 2011. The Regulations prescribe that an approved undergraduate course is a full-time course leading to a major higher education and training award which takes a minimum of two years to complete in an approved institution. Courses that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 to 112, inclusive, together. Under my Department’s Technical Guidance Documents it is a requirement to have the quality of drinking water tested for all new school building projects. In addition, existing schools may themselves, as a matter of routine, arrange for water testing to be carried out without recourse to my Department. Since 2011 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: To satisfy the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course, having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another, where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course. The objective of this policy is to help as many students as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: A response to the Deputy’s query issued recently. I understand that the student referred to by the Deputy, lodged an appeal with the Student Grants Appeals Board (SGAB) on 31stAugust 2016. The appeal will be heard within the 60 day timeframe set out in the Student Support Act, 2011. The decision of the SGAB will be communicated directly to the student in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including SNA support. The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: Special Needs Assistants (SNA) may be employed by recognised schools or Education and Training Boards. The provision of SNA support is made through an independent process managed by the National Council for Special Education. The criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014. The purpose of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme is to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that a building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's six year construction programme. This school project necessitates the acquisition of a suitable site and this process is currently in train. The architectural planning process for the new school building will commence as soon as the site is secured....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's six year construction programme. In this regard, my Department has undertaken a site visit to the school in the context of initiating the preparatory work associated with advancing the project. Pending completion of the project, my Department has approved funding to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: All current members of the Board of the Higher Education Authority have been appointed in line with the terms of the Higher Education Authority Act, 1971.  I selected the most recent appointees to the Board in July 2016, and all of those appointees had come through the State Board appointments process ran by the Public Appointments Service. It should be noted that the legislation does...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: There are currently one hundred and two thousand salary and pension payments issued on a fortnightly basis by my Department to serving teachers and non teaching staff employed in primary, secondary and community/comprehensive schools and retired staff who previously served in these schools.  The serving teachers and non teaching staff paid on these payrolls are employed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (29 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that in the current school year (2016/2017) the DEIS School Support Programme provides support to 826 schools serving a total of 171,031 pupils. There are 641 schools at primary level serving 103,630 pupils (116 of which are Urban DEIS Band 1 primary schools in Dublin and 44 of which are Urban DEIS Band 2 primary schools in Dublin). There are 185...