Results 17,761-17,780 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Exemptions (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to 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: Teaching Qualifications (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Teaching Council is the statutory body with responsibility for professional standards at all stages of the teaching career. It has established standards for post-qualification professional practice, as set out in Droichead, the new model of induction and probation for newly qualified primary and post-primary teachers. The Droichead programme was the subject of a three-year pilot before...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools Scheme (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the list of the schools in question is available on my Department's website at the following link: As the Deputy may be aware, a process to review the DEIS Programme which began in 2015 is progressing very well and it is my intention to publish a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion in the coming weeks. The review...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including applications for assistive technology. Special Needs Organisers (SENOs) make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Critical Incidents in Schools (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: By way of background I might inform you that this Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides guidelines and resource materials for schools to enable them to deal with certain traumatic events which can adversely affect pupils and school staff. The guidelines "Responding to Critical Incidents: Guidelines for Schools and resource Materials for Schools" refer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998 the Board of Management of a school is the body charged with the direct governance of that school. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a Category 10 application, external environment project, under the Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017) from the school to which he refers. Nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Details of successful school applicants in respect of Categories 1 and 2 were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department received correspondence in late December 2016 concerning the possible acquisition of Columb Barracks in Mullingar.  My Department has previously had informal engagement with an education body in relation to this matter and will be formally responding to this correspondence in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that building projects for the schools in question are included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme. Preparatory work has been initiated to advance these projects and my Department will continue to liaise directly with the school authorities concerned in the context of progressing the projects through the architectural planning process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department issued a circular to all post primary schools in September 2015 on the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles in Post Primary Schools (Circular number 0051/2015).  Schools are strongly encouraged to have a formal healthy eating policy that has been developed in consultation with students (through student councils) and parents.  Guidelines are available to schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Administration (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Details of successful school applicants in respect of Categories 1 and 2 were announced in April last and are published on my Department’s website . Assessment of valid projects in further categories is now being undertaken by my Department, subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a Category 5 application, upgrade of toilet facilities, under the Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017) from the school to which he refers. Nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Details of successful school applicants in respect of Categories 1 and 2...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 175 and 176 together. At 1 January 2017, as is currently the case, there was one Secretary General in my Department on an annual salary of €176,350. In addition, there is one Deputy Secretary in my Department on an annual salary of €156,380 and eight Assistant Secretaries General on annual salaries as follows: - 2 on a salary of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Third-level institutions have autonomy in relation to human resource policies, subject to compliance with Government policy in respect of employment numbers and pay policy.  Employers in the higher education sector are also required to operate in accordance with the provisions of national industrial relations agreements.  My Department is not aware of any instance in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the USI pre-budget submission and its recommendations for increased funding to the sector. The Report of the Expert Group on the Future Funding for Higher Education, which was established by previous Minister O'Sullivan, sets out a number of funding options for the sector with income contingent loans being just one of those options. Other options include a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The curriculum and assessment arrangements for Junior Cycle are as set out in the Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 and in the related subject specifications and syllabuses developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. Implementation of the Framework is proceeding and the new subject specifications for Business Studies and Science, along with English, have now been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181, 184 and 202 together. Budget 2016 provided for an improvement in the staffing schedule in primary schools by 1 point, from 1 teacher for every 28 pupils to 1 teacher for every 27 pupils for the 2016/17 school year.  The Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce class sizes at primary level and it is my intention to make further improvements...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Last September, I launched the first ever Action Plan for Education, covering the period 2016- 2019. The central vision of the Plan is that the Irish Education and Training System should become the best in Europe over the next decade. The Plan’s high-level goals are based on the five policy areas which I believe will help us to achieve this ambition. The goals are: 1. Improve...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is widely accepted that the quality of school leadership is a key determinant of school effectiveness and the achievement of good learning outcomes. Indeed international research indicates that school leadership is second only to classroom teaching as an influence on pupil learning. Budget 2016 provided 250 posts to second level schools to enable Deputy Principals to be more fully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (24 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 199 together. The Teaching Council (Amendment) Act 2015 has been commenced in full. I commenced the final sections in July 2016, which provided for the introduction of the fitness to teach process. The Deputy will appreciate that the fitness to teach process is independent of my Department and she should contact the Council directly for...