Results 18,221-18,240 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (22 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: DEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage. The DEIS Plan 2017 sets out our vision for future intervention in the critical area of social inclusion in education policy. A key element of the DEIS Plan 2017 is the availability of a new identification process for the assessment of schools for inclusion in DEIS using centrally held CSO and DES data. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (22 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware my Department approved funding for the provision of an additional mainstream classroom, two resource rooms and reconfiguration works. My Department is satisfied that these works, now completed, will address the schools immediate classroom accommodation needs.  My Department has no record of recently receiving a further application for classroom accommodation from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (22 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The school buildings and site referred to by the Deputy are owned and maintained by the Minister for Defence.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Advisers Appointments (22 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Ms Michelle Clancy was appointed as Special Adviser to Deputy John Halligan, Minister of State at my Department with effect from the 14th November 2016. As part of her duties she will also advise the Minister of State in relation to his duties at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation.  Notification of her appointment was published in Iris Oifigiúil on the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Garda Station Refurbishment (22 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am answering on behalf of the Tánaiste, who cannot be present. I thank the Senator for raising this issue. He will appreciate that the programme of replacement and refurbishment of Garda accommodation is progressed by the Garda authorities working in close co-operation with the Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Garda Station Refurbishment (22 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality has set out her plans within the confines of the existing budget. We are entering into a mid-term review of capital expenditure programmes and a public consultation process is under way. One of the key themes of the plan will be how to deliver sustainable regional and rural development. We will have to examine closely priority areas...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (22 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. He knows the backdrop to the schools building programme. There are serious demand pressures exerted by a growing population such that we must provide approximately 15,000 extra places every year to meet increasing enrolments. On top of this, we replace about 5,000 places per annum, which absorbs virtually all of our budget. We are working hard...

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: We are working on a series of improvements for children with special needs. We just rolled out a new model for the allocation of resource teachers, which will involve 900 additional resource teachers being provided for children in schools. We are working with the HSE to evolve a model for speech and language from within the school system. It is a commitment for our programme for Government...

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: That programme is developed under the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. I understand it is developing programmes. It will obviously be in the context of the capital review and the envelope of capital money available. I will seek to get the information for the Deputy.

Topical Issues Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this. He is right. This has had a considerable history and I can understand how people might get confused at the development. I will set it out for the Deputy as clearly as I can. Lucan community college caters for both boys and girls and operates under the patronage of the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, ETB. The college has...

Topical Issues Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Each stage in the process has to be gone through and I do not control the duration of those. It is expected that by the end of March to mid-April the Department will have completed its review of the stage 2A documents. However, as the reply explains, it then has to submit a planning application, get planning permission, a fire certificate and a disability access certificate, and complete...

Topical Issues Debate: Israeli Settlements (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade asked me to take it. I convey his apologies. I believe he informed the Deputy's office that he would not be able to take it today. The Deputy could have it withdrawn and resubmitted if he wanted.

Topical Issues Debate: Israeli Settlements (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade asked me to send his apologies and reply on his behalf. He is very keen to get a full account of the issues the Deputy has raised. The Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar, to the east of Jerusalem, has been subject to demolition and removal orders for many years. Some houses and other structures have been...

Topical Issues Debate: Israeli Settlements (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Crowe for raising this issue. I have set out the response from the Minister. The Deputy will see the Irish representatives along with other international colleagues are very active and recognise the urgency and concern the Deputy raises. On the wider issue of a settlement in the region, it is Ireland's view and that of the European Union that a just and comprehensive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools Scheme (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The list of schools which will receive additional supports under the DEIS Plan 2017 is available on my Department’s website at the following link: .

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that all recognised primary and post-primary schools in Dublin, are provided with access to educational psychological service via my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) or through the psychological services of the City of Dublin and Dublin & Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Boards.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of the building projects to which he refers in the details supplied are outlined in the following table. I also wish to advise the Deputy that until such time as planning permission has been secured, or the building projects have progressed to and completed tender stage and the appointment of a building contractor, it will not be possible to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department recently contacted the school referred to. The school confirmed that it had offered junior infant places, prioritising children from within the schools catchment area. The school also confirmed that following receipt of responses from parents, the school will be in a position to determine the number of additional places that can then be offered....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Eligibility (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department operates a home tuition grant scheme for children, aged from 6 to 16, who are temporarily without a school place and actively seeking a school place. If a child is over 16 years and has had three year post primary education, they are not eligible for this scheme. Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (23 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: DEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage. The DEIS Plan 2017 sets out our vision for future intervention in the critical area of social inclusion in education policy. A key element of DEIS Plan 2017 Plan is the availability of a new identification process for the assessment of schools for inclusion in DEIS using centrally held CSO and DES data. The...