Results 17,701-17,720 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Participation (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The data referred to by the Deputy actually serve to highlight the significant progress being made in supporting disadvantaged students to progress to third level. For example, the analysis of the data indicates that a significant number of non-fee paying schools are achieving considerable success in terms of supporting their students to progress to higher education. Specifically, over the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I believe that it is unfair that preference is given by publicly-funded religious schools to children of their own religion who might live some distance away, ahead of children of a different religion or of no religion who live close to the school. I also believe that it is unfair that parents, who might otherwise not do so, feel pressure to baptise their children in order to gain...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Multidenominational Schools (18 Jan 2017)

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: Education Grants (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Very significant numbers of third-level students move out of home to go to college and continue to be supported by their parents while in full-time education. Confirmation that a student is living separately from his/her parents is of itself, not sufficient to establish independent status. When considering whether a student meets the conditions to be assessed independently of his or her...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Administration (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology 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). NEPS does not maintain waiting lists but, in common with many other psychological...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for organising and planning provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including establishing special classes in mainstream primary and post primary schools. Special classes are part of a continuum of educational provision that enables students with more complex special educational needs to be educated, in smaller...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the 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 Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic analyses to determine where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The decision to issue the tender for the supply of library books and audiovisual material was taken by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and local authorities. The role of the Education Procurement Service (EPS) is to conduct the procurement exercise on behalf of these bodies. The specification of goods and services, evaluation and award of winning tenders are decided by the LGMA...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved funding in 2013 for the provision of 2 mainstream classrooms and 2 resource rooms. The school authority has since contacted my Department seeking additional funding for an alternative building project. Further information, requested by my Department, including details of the tender cost analysis and the new building plans, has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department provides for a range of services and supports to ensure that children with special educational needs, including children with Dyspraxia and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. These supports include additional teaching and care support, enhanced capitation, specialised school transport arrangements, funding for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Relations (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Following discussions, the Teachers Conciliation Council published a set of proposals in November for consideration by ASTI members aimed at finding a resolution to their dispute. The ASTI Central Executive Committee took a decision to put the outcome of the talks process to a ballot of members with a recommendation to reject. The ASTI’s leadership have taken a view on the proposals....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: All children who do not have Irish nationality can access pre-school, primary and post-primary education in the same manner as children with Irish Nationality, until they have reached the age of 18 years. For children who do not have English as their first language, the priority for them is to gain proficiency in the host language. At both primary and post-primary priority levels,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.   The staffing schedule...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The review of the supports and barriers to accessing higher education for lone parents is currently being finalised and will be completed by the end of Quarter 1 2017. The review is being conducted by a multi-disciplinary team from NUI Maynooth. The review process is being overseen by a steering committee comprising officials from my Department and from the Departments of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: A building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is included in the current 6 year construction programme announced in November, 2015.  An acquisition process to acquire a suitable site to accommodate the new school building is currently underway. Officials in my Department have been working closely with officials from Cork County Council towards such an acquisition and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Based on information I have received from the Institute concerned it is my understanding that the dispute relates to a company which is a subsidiary company of Cork IT and which is operating on the Institute's campus. I have been informed that the company have attempted to engage the services of the Workplace Relations Commission but the Union involved have not engaged with the process. I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Department of Education and Skills is introducing a new Wellbeing programme for schools which forms part of the new Framework for Junior Cycle. It will be introduced to first year students from September 2017. Wellbeing is not just about mental health. It is about enhancing the physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing of students. Therefore, the area of learning will include...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Charges (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Third level institutions are autonomous institutions and my Department does not have any function in their day to day operational affairs. The Governing Bodies and the management staff of the institutions  are responsible for operational matters, therefore, the collection and administration of the student contribution and tuition fees where a student is not eligible for funding under my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to by the Deputy applied for funding under my Department’s Emergency Works Scheme for extensive works to the roof of the building. The scope of the works applied for are outside the terms of the Emergency Works Scheme. Works of this nature should be applied for under any future Summer Works Scheme. In the interim the school authority have been advised that if...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for major capital works to my Department towards the end of 2016. My Department will consider the application and respond directly to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.