Results 16,861-16,880 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (26 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education, published in July, clearly outlines the funding challenges and offers a number of approaches and recommendations for consideration for the medium term. As committed to in the Programme for Government, the report has been referred to the Education Committee as part of the process for formulating a plan for the future of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (26 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: One of my Department's responsibilities is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places in an area. Enrolment policies are a matter for individual school authorities and my Department would not have access to details of applications received by individual schools in Kilkenny city. The Deputy will be aware that as part of my Department's School...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (26 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources, with certain social welfare and health service executive payments being exempt. In the assessment of means, a deduction can be made for holiday earnings made by the applicant from employment outside of term time but within the reference period. I increased the value of this income...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (26 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a process to review DEIS which began last year is nearing completion and it is my intention to publish a new Plan for Educational Inclusion before the end of this year. The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the range and impact of different elements of the School Support Programme, the potential for innovation within and between schools and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Remote Area Boarding Grant (26 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The purpose of the Remote Area Boarding Grant is to give pupils who are educationally disadvantaged because of their remoteness from schools an opportunity to attend school on the same basis as other pupils not so disadvantaged. Pupils resident on off-shore islands such as Sherkin Island that do not have a school providing suitable free second-level education may also qualify for assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (26 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs Staff (26 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senator Colm Burke for raising this issue. It needs consideration. Senator Burke has set out his case. The school has 95 pupils, 16 classroom teachers and 35 special needs assistants. The staff numbers come to over 50. Under the current arrangements for the appointment of administrative deputy principals, the criteria is based on the number of pupils. It is uniform across the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs Staff (26 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: I fully acknowledge that extraordinary work is being done by special schools who are supporting children with particular needs. However, my response must be one that takes into account all special schools, rather than one individual school or one individual set of needs. That is why my Department is dealing with the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education so that...

Questions on Proposed Legislation (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: From September, there is an improvement in the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools that was provided for in the 2016 budget. Decisions on the new schedule are taken independently by the appeals board. It is an independent decision and the board makes its decisions independent of the Minister. On small schools, we were able to make a start this year for some island schools. We will...

Topical Issue Debate: Higher Education Institutions (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am not privy to some of the content of the claims he has of cases where he suggests unnecessary appeals may have been made to contest findings or to some of the other concerns he raised. The Higher Education Authority is very concerned about gender equality and has initiated a system-wide review of higher education institutions' gender profiles...

Topical Issue Debate: Higher Education Institutions (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: In general, the Equality Tribunal is the forum for hearing extreme cases of bullying. Every college must have an anti-bullying policy. The relationship with the HEA involves setting out performance areas under which colleges must show they are addressing concerns. I will bring the Deputy's concerns to the attention of the authority. I cannot substantiate the cases in respect of any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Direct Provision Data (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: All children who are non-Irish nationals and resident in Ireland, including children of asylum seekers, refugees, migrant workers and unaccompanied minors can access pre-school, first and second level education in a manner similar to Irish nationals, until they have reached the age of 18 years. The Education system does not track whether a child enrolling in a school is in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Direct Provision Data (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: All children who are non-Irish nationals and resident in Ireland, including children of asylum seekers, refugees, migrant workers and unaccompanied minors can access pre-school, first and second level education in a manner similar to Irish nationals, until they have reached the age of 18 years. The Education system does not track whether a child enrolling in a school is in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: University Governance (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 69 to 71, inclusive, together. Following publication of the Mazars review of the process employed by the University of Limerick (UL) to inquire into allegations made by a number of individuals, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) met with the University to request a full response and an action plan to address the recommendations in the review. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education, including approved postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners at www.revenue.ie. In addition, students in third-level institutions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a project for the expansion and refurbishment of the school, to which he refers, is included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme which was announced in November 2015. The project for Portmarnock Community School is scheduled to proceed to tender and construction in 2019-21. My Department is currently progressing the school project brief and once this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, a number of schools in the area in question have been approved funding for additional permanent school accommodation under the Devolved Initiative Scheme administered by my Department. Details of all successful applications are available on my Department's website, . It is open to all schools to apply for funding for additional school accommodation for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Board of Management of the school in question was allocated funding under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2013 to build 2 mainstream classrooms and 2 Resource Rooms. An application for additional funding has been received in the Department and an examination of this request is nearing completion.  As soon as a decision has been made the school will be notified...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, a project for the school referred is included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme and is scheduled to proceed to tender and construction in 2018. Officials from my Department recently advised the school's Board of Management and the Patron's representative that following a technical examination of an alternative site being made available by the School...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: University Status Review (27 Oct 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Universities Act 1997 provides the legal and regulatory framework for Irish universities.As part of the overall legal framework for the sector, the Act also provides for a limitation on the use of the title “university”. The Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 provides for the authorisation by the Minister of the use of the description...