Results 17,521-17,540 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (13 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 to 218, inclusive, together. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised primary teachers under Circular 10/2001 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 and Reform, the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Earcaíocht agus Soláthar Foirne Tríú Leibhéal (13 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: Mar is eol don Teachta, is comhlachtaí neamhspleácha iad institiúidí Tríú Leibhéal agus is ar Bhoird Rialaithe agus ar fhoireann bhainistíochta na n-institiúidí bainteacha atá freagracht as cúrsaí oibríochta laethúla, lena n-áirítear ceisteanna a bhaineann le gnásanna earcaíochta agus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Exchange Scheme (13 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: The provisions of the teacher exchange scheme are set out by my Department in Circular Letter 0017/2015 the contents of which were agreed under the auspices of the Teacher Conciliation Council. The Teacher Conciliation Council is part of the scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for Teachers and was set up to deal with claims and proposals relating to the Terms and Conditions of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (13 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: There are eight Bills at various stages in my Department, as indicated on the Legislation Programme published by the Chief Whip's Office.  Details on these bills are given below.  There are two Bills before the Oireachtas.  The Technological Universities Bill has completed Second Stage in the Dáil.   The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Redeployment (13 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: There are no examples of the scenario described by the Deputy in his question.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Institutes of Technology (13 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: I will deal with the general issue first. I believe regional institutions will be crucial to our long-term competitiveness and ability to ensure the regions can compete and build a genuine sustainable competitive advantage. Everyone recognises that one of the key priorities is not only to build on the 200,000 jobs we have delivered with another 200,000 in the coming period but also to...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Institutes of Technology (13 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Senator that any matters that are brought to our attention will be examined by the HEA in the context of the development of this viability plan. That plan is going to the board, which will have an opportunity to consider it. I have to recognise that where an institution is in financial difficulty, there will be higher levels of accountability and scrutiny expected of all parts...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Cullinane for raising this issue. He is absolutely right that this project has had a very troubled history. I have had discussions with his constituency colleague and my ministerial colleague, Deputy John Halligan, about the situation. The school was selected for inclusion in the Department's prefab replacement scheme in 2012, as Deputy Cullinane said. The approval was for...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: I do not have the exact date on which the school was informed, but on 24 November the Department was satisfied that the information on the scope of the works outlined was necessary and it was in a position to re-tender. I am unsure what time elapsed after that until the school was notified. The Department has excluded nothing from the scope of the works being re-tendered for. The scope...

Topical Issue Debate: School Staff (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: I am aware that some schools are experiencing difficulty in recruiting adequately qualified substitute teachers. I am committed to examining all possible means of addressing that issue. In overall terms, however, the Department has no evidence of a recent or current shortage of primary teachers. There are many different variables that affect the supply and demand for teachers in our...

Topical Issue Debate: School Staff (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Teaching Council is considering the longer-term issue of the future supply of all teachers, including substitute teachers. I accept that the restrictions which have been imposed on the recruitment of retired teachers could be re-examined as a short-term measure. There would have to be an assessment of whether a panel would work. Short-term opportunities tend to arise in this area at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (14 Dec 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 S support. The NCSE allocates S support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in my Department's Circular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department published Circular Letter 0015/2015 in February 2015 to advise schools of revised pay arrangements for casual and non-casual teachers which took effect from the commencement of the 2015/16 school year, following agreement at the Teachers Conciliation Council. Prior to September 2015, the daily/hourly rates paid to casual and non-casual teachers per/day hour worked included...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school, to which he refers, is included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme. A permanent accommodation solution for the school has been identified. My Department will be in contact with the school authority in due course. However, due to the sensitivity of the position, my Department is unable to comment further at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Staff (14 Dec 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: School Funding (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department is aware of the issues referred to by the Deputy. The Department was in contact with the school Principal in May and agreed to facilitate the school with the advance payment of capitation funding due in September to enable it to address these issues. In this regard the school was advised to contact the Department with regard to the school's funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: The new Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 (Enhancing Teaching, Learning & 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Data (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached tables, which were compiled by SOLAS. Information is not available on whether participants were EU or non EU citizens.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: I understand that the student referred to by the Deputy was advised by the awarding authority that in order for his application to be fully assessed, specific documentation was required.  To date, this specific information has not been received and the student was refused a grant on the basis that he had not provided the specific documentary evidence...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (14 Dec 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education, published in July, identifies income-contingent loans as being one of the possible options for the future funding of the higher education sector. Other options include a predominantly State-funded system or a State-funded system supplemented with continuing student fees. As committed to in the Programme for...