Results 19,861-19,880 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can inform the Deputy that my Department is actively working with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) to fill NEPS psychologist vacancies nationally from a recruitment panel established this year for this purpose. It is envisaged that some 11 staff will be recruited by the end of the current academic year in this regard. The Deputy may be aware that my Department's National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: Budget 2016 provided for additional release days for teaching principals at primary level to range between 15 and 25 days depending on the size of the school.  Budget 2017 also provides for the commencement of the restoration of middle management posts in both the primary and post-primary sector with effect from the 2017/18 school year. Arrangements for delivery of...

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

Richard Bruton: Combined classes are a feature of many primary schools in the country and this arrangement has no adverse implications for the quality of the education children receive.  The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. School authorities are requested to ensure that the number of pupils in any one class is kept as low as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The teaching of mixed classes, or multi-class teaching as it is more commonly known, is an important aspect of differentiated teaching and learning. All students in initial teacher education courses study the area of differentiation as a mandatory element of their programme, which is set out by the Teaching Council.  Students must also undertake a minimum of two placement settings...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Applications (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The key data sources used in the DEIS identification process are the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area. Variables used in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: Caranua is an independent statutory body. While my Department has provided advice and assistance to it in regard to its accommodation requirements, statutory responsibility for the decisions taken in regard to accommodation are a matter for the organisation itself and I have no role in those decision making processes. My Department is not in a position to allocate space in any of its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: Since my appointment as Minister for Education and Skills in May 2016 I have not approved any proposals submitted by Caranua under section 7(7) of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. Under that provision Caranua may, as it considers it necessary for the performance of its functions and with the approval of the Minister, enter into contracts with persons or to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Panel Rights (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The teacher referred to by the Deputy applied for access to the Supplementary Redeployment Panel. Having reviewed his salary scale point and incremental date he should be on Point three of the Salary Scale w.e.f. from the 11/9/16 for supplementary panel purposes and Point three on the Salary Scale w.e.f. 11/12//16 for payroll purposes. The person referred to is eligible for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally on the same basis to both employed and self-employed applicants. Gross income before the deduction of income tax or the universal social charge, is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded. The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Summits (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The International Summit on the Teaching Profession is one of a number of initiatives that are organised by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in the area of education policy. The Summit on the Teaching Profession is organised by the OECD in conjunction with a number of partners, including Education International and the international organisation of teachers’...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 130 together. As a consequence of the financial crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country's public finances. A previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable to all new entrants to public service recruitment grades by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government outlines that this Government will continue to support the creation of Technological Universities.  This is in line with the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which provides a framework for the development of the higher education sector to 2030.  The third Government Legislative Programme of this new Partnership Government was published...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Correspondence (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The HEA wrote to my Department in October 2016 regarding the issues raised at UL.  My Department and the HEA and the University of Limerick (UL) have engaged in ongoing discussions which have culminated in agreement being reached between all parties to conduct an independent review into the governance, HR and financial practices and procedures at the University. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Exchange Scheme (24 May 2017)

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: English Language Training Organisations (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: ACELS (the Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services) is a voluntary national scheme responsible for the development and management of the recognition and inspection of English language schools.  ACELS is operated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).  My Department does not maintain figures of the occupancy rates within privately operated English language...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: Marketing English in Ireland (MEI) is a private association of English language schools and is not subject to regulation by my Department. ACELS (the Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services) is a voluntary national scheme responsible for the recognition and inspection of English language providers.  It is administered by Quality and Qualifications...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland Administration (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: Legislative amendments are necessary to facilitate the introduction of the International Education Mark (IEM). These amendments are contained in the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Amendment) Bill.  I published the General Scheme of the Bill on 15th May 2017, following approval by Government.  The General Scheme of the Bill will now be submitted to the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced new plans aimed at providing more multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment in this area.  The Government's target of achieving 400 multi-denominational schools by 2030 is highly...

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

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017. These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools. The revised allocation process replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment, sets out the Department's vision for embedding ICT in teaching learning and assessment in primary and post-primary schools. The Strategy recognises the issues schools face in relation to ICT infrastructure, and funding of €210m is committed to address these requirements over the period of the...