Results 17,941-17,960 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts Data (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. I will have a list of the procurement contracts over each of the past five years over a value of or equivalent to €25,000 that have been awarded by my department to companies known to be based in Northern Ireland or Britain compiled and forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The attention of my Department has been brought to reported shortages in certain subject areas, such as Home Economics. However, comprehensive data on teacher supply and demand in specific subject areas is not available to my Department. The Deputy is aware that the Teaching Council has provided its advice and report to my Department on the matter of teacher supply. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Insurance Coverage (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department has not issued any directive in relation to insurance providers to schools. In general, the arrangements for insurance for schools are a matter for their associated Patrons or Trustees/Trustee Bodies. The Schools Procurement Unit (SPU) was established in 2014 as the central support resource for providing advice and guidance to all primary and post-primary schools on any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I would inform the Deputy that officials in my Department are currently compiling the data requested in her question and I will arrange to have it forwarded to her without delay.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that on 18 January last, I announced that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post primary schools will be introduced from September 2017. I also announced that an additional 900 teaching posts will be provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model. This substantial additional provision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Education (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department provided funding of €27,495 to Marketing English in Ireland, a representative body from the English Language Training sector, last year to employ a student officer to assist them with their promotion efforts. In October 2016, I launched Irish Educated, Globally Connected An International Education Strategy for Ireland, 2016-2020. Additional funding of €1.5...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Communications (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Non-sensitive official information has been sent to my personal email address on occasion in the past. Material was usually sent to my personal email where I was not accompanied by a member of staff, and where there was an urgent need to communicate information to me, often in advance of media appearances. The use of a personal email address is no longer necessary as a private Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commencement of Legislation (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The information that the Deputy has requested is set out in tabular as follows. Act Sections yet to be commenced Details Teaching Council Act 2001 Sections 39 This section relates to the continuing education, training and professional development of teachers. In relation to commencement, regard will be had to the development by the Teaching Council of Cosán, the national framework for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Supervision and Substitution Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Supervision and substitution duties are core duties for all teachers since the Haddington Road Agreement. A limited group of teachers were allowed to opt-out of the duties in return for a pay reduction. Department Circular 0006/2014 states that with effect from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, participation in the Supervision and Substitution scheme will be compulsory for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Community and comprehensive schools are not required to appoint an external person or body to audit, verify or assess school furniture and equipment for stock taking purposes.

Order of Business (7 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for her question. The pupil-teacher ratio was reduced from September 2016 so it has been reduced for this current year. In this year's budget we addressed other issues, namely, the expansion of the new resource teaching allocation for children with special educational needs. The question was also asked by Deputy Connolly around disadvantaged schools. Each year we look...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Brexit Issues (7 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 248 together. My Department continues to work on risk assessment and contingency planning for Brexit and is participating in the Inter-Departmental Senior Officials Group that is preparing the response to the outcome of the UK referendum and that serves the Cabinet Committee on Brexit.  My Department actively participates on two of Six...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Tourism Data (7 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 to 198, inclusive, 200, 201, 205 to 208, inclusive, 214, 215, 217 to 221, inclusive, 223 to 225, inclusive, 227 to 229, inclusive, 233 to 237, inclusive, 243 to 246, inclusive and 250 to 252, inclusive. My Department has overall responsibility for policy development for education and training provision across the economy including the hospitality and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas Riachtanas Speisialta (7 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Beidh an Teachta feasach gur fhógair mé ar an ochtú lá déag d’Éanair go gcuirfear múnla nua chun acmhainní múinteoireachta don oideachas speisialta a dháileadh ar bhunscoileanna agus ar iar- bhunscoileanna príomhshrutha.  Bheartaigh grúpa oibre a chuir an Comhairle Náisiúnta Um Oideachas Speisialta, an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (7 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: A building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s 6 Year Construction Programme. My Department is currently finalising the Project Brief and will be in contact with the school in the near future in relation to the progression of the project into the architectural planning process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (7 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 204 together. The National Council for Special Education is responsible for organising and planning provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including establishing special classes in mainstream primary and post primary schools. The NCSE has advised that there are almost 18,000 students with ASD attending schools nationally. Of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (7 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that responsibility for facilitating a school’s communication with a parent lies with the School’s Board of Management.  Schools' running costs are met by my Department's scheme of capitation grants which affords schools considerable flexibility in the use of these resources to cater for the needs of their pupils.  These grants are intended...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Data (7 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is estimated that the average cost per annum to the State of a medical student is c. €11,000. This takes into account State grant and tuition fee funding paid by the State (where appropriate). It excludes the Student Contribution of €3,000 which is paid by the student, or paid on behalf of the student in cases where the student qualifies for assistance under my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (7 Feb 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 www.education.ie. Assessment of valid projects in further categories is now being undertaken by my...