Results 16,661-16,680 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Relations (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department has held several meetings with ASTI since July in relation to their issues of concern and is making arrangements for those discussions to continue. At the outset of these discussions, my Department offered that if ASTI suspended their directive on withdrawal from the Croke Park hours while talks between the union and the Department were taking place, the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Disputes (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: I understand that ASTI are currently conducting a ballot on industrial action including withdrawal from supervision and substitution duties. The outcome of the ASTI ballot cannot be presumed.  However, my Department and the school management bodies have been discussing potential contingency arrangements aimed at keeping schools open in the event of an industrial action that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The Commission operates the scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate Examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: A total of 39 applications were received under the pilot scheme in 2015.  Following an initial assessment of the details provided by the applicants, 37 of those were deemed ineligible with 2 applicants qualifying for support. The closing date for receipt of applications for the 2016 pilot support scheme is 4thof November 2016. To date, 11 applications have been received. Details of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme (2019/21). My Department will be in contact with the school, in due course, in the context of progressing the project into the architectural planning process. My Department, has no record of receiving an application form from the school for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department considers it important that the supply of teachers with the required qualifications should meet demand at both primary and post primary levels, including teachers qualified to teach through Irish. Accordingly, my Department asked the Teaching Council to consider the matter of teacher supply with a view to developing better forecasting methods to ensure an adequate supply of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The project to which the Deputy refers was announced as part of the Six Year Capital Programme last year. The project is scheduled to go to tender and construction in 2019-2021. As the Deputy may be aware, officials from my Department have been working closely with officials from Donegal County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The new Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 (Enhancing Teaching, Learning and Assessment), launched in October 2015, sets out a clear vision for the role of ICT in teaching, learning and assessment in primary and post primary schools. The Strategy is focused on realising the potential of digital technologies to transform the learning experiences of students by helping them become engaged...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools Scheme (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: I would like to explain that an extensive identification process to select schools for inclusion in DEIS was conducted in 2005. In spite of a number of reminders issued by my Department, a completed survey form was not received at that time from the school in question. Furthermore, the school did not participate in a follow-up appeal process to address the concerns of schools that did not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department has considered a proposal made by the relevant Education and Training Board (ETB) to provide Irish-medium education at second level through establishing an Aonad in the school referred to by the Deputy. My Department has advised that the proposal needs to be re-examined by the ETB concerned to address a number of issues that could assist in facilitating delivery of Irish-medium...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Government is committed to progressing the development of a dynamic and innovative education system that reflects the diversity of twenty first Century Ireland. The Programme for a Partnership Government reflects the Government's objective of strengthening parental choice and further expanding diversity in our school system. The desire of parents for diversity in education is primarily...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The Commission operates the scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate Examinations. In view of this I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to her.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Staff (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides an educational psychological service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are in the NEPS section of my Department's website. Under this scheme schools can...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools Scheme (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a process for the review of the DEIS Programme which was announced in 2015, is currently underway in my Department. While this process is underway, I do not intend to make any changes to the current programme, including the re-classification of DEIS Bands for schools currently participating in the DEIS Programme. The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. A decision to grant planning permission for the project was issued by the Local Authority on 4 July 2016. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The main building project referred to by the Deputy was included on the 5 year Construction Programme 2012-2016. The project is currently at an advanced Stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2(b)- Detailed Design, which includes the application for planning permission and other statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. The school's design team has submitted the stage 2(b)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cáilíochtaí Múinteoireachta (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: Fógraíodh córas úr grádaithe le haghaidh na hArdteistiméireachta in 2015 atá le cur i bhfeidhm ó 2017. Bainfidh an córas úr le daltaí a thosaigh ar an tsraith shinsearach i Meán Fómhair 2015 agus laghdófar líon na ngrád atá ann faoi láthair. Toisc gur cúrsa úr grádaithe a bheith ann is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (11 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 to 198, inclusive, together. The criteria for the award of Incremental Credit to recognised primary and post-primary teachers under Circulars 10/2001, 29/2007 and 29/2010 was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council. This Council is comprised of representatives of teachers, school management, the Department of Public Expenditure...

Financial Resolutions 2017 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (12 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to the debate. We have all been through one hell of a rollercoaster ride in the past decade, but having reflected on it, there is a compelling proposition that everyone must now accept, which is that we cannot have a sustainable, fair society without a strong economy and we cannot have a sustainable, strong economy without a fair society....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (12 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 10 together. The Deputy will be aware that in March 2014, my Department and the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation, launched an ICT Skills Action Plan 2014 - 2018. The Plan was developed in close collaboration with industry. The plan sets out a collaborative, system-wide response, across Departments, agencies and the education and enterprise...