Results 19,881-19,900 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Garda Vetting Applications Data (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: In April 2016 the Minister for Justice and Equality commenced the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016. It put in place statutory requirements for the Garda vetting of persons involved in working with children or vulnerable persons, including requirements for the retrospective vetting of persons who have never previously been garda vetted. In...

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

Richard Bruton: 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 and it should be noted that the current staffing schedule of 27:1 for primary schools has restored it to the position it was at prior to the fiscal crisis. The Programme for Government has a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commencement of Legislation (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The only remaining section of the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 to be commenced is Section 39, which deals with continuing education and training and professional development of teachers.  I am advised by the Teaching Council that Cosán, the national framework for teacher’s learning (CPD) has entered a development phase which is due to conclude in 2020. This will then...

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

Richard Bruton: Higher education is a central part of our plan as a Government to support a strong economy and deliver a fair society. The package of measures we announced for the sector in last year's Budget reflects this priority. I secured an initial investment of €36.5 million in the sector in this year's Budget and €160 million overall over the next three years. This is...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 131 and 143 together. ASTI's withdrawal from the Croke Park hours means that the union has repudiated the Lansdowne Road Agreement. The financial and other consequences for ASTI members of failure to co-operate with the terms of the agreement were formally notified to ASTI in June 2016.  It was indicated at that time that in the event of continuing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Junior Cycle Reform (24 May 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: Child Care Services Provision (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with key commitments in the Programme for a Partnership Government (May 2016) in relation to encouraging the use of school buildings outside school hours, my Department is working closely with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in considering how to facilitate schools who wish to make their facilities available as part of the range of options available to parents where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (24 May 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 the...

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

Richard Bruton: As I previously advised the Deputy on 28th February last, the review of DEIS has been completed and is available on my Department's website at the following link: . On 13th February, I published DEIS Plan 2017, which sets out my Department’s renewed policy statement on  educational disadvantage. Building on the five key goals set out in the Action Plan for Education...

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

Richard Bruton: My Department has committed to enriching teaching and learning with new curricula, in the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019. This will contribute to delivering a step-change in the development of critical skills, knowledge and competences and providing the foundations for participation in work and society. The roll-out of the new Leaving Certificate subject of Politics and Society...

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

Richard Bruton: Budget 2016 provided 250 posts to second level schools to enable Deputy Principals to be more fully available to assist the school principal with the leadership of the school. At primary level, Budget 2016 provided for additional release days for teaching principals to range between 15 and 25 days depending on the size of the school. Budget 2017 provided for an additional €7.75m...

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

Richard Bruton: A key objective in the Action Plan for Education 2016 – 2019 is to develop the continuum of teacher education to equip teachers with the right skills for 21st century teaching and learning and improve school leadership. The quality of our teaching profession is the single most critical factor in sustaining and enhancing the quality of education outcomes in our system. We know that...

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

Richard Bruton: Budget 2016 introduced a 1 point improvement (from 28:1 to 27:1) to the primary staffing schedule which has been implemented for the current school year and it should be noted that the current staffing schedule of 27:1 for primary schools has restored it to the position it was at prior to the fiscal crisis. The staffing schedule operates on a general average of 27 pupils to every 1...

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

Richard Bruton: I presume the Deputy meant to refer to 2017 in her question (Ref. No. 24950/17). 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Postgraduate Enrolments (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware of the Action Plan for Education commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households. In response to this commitment, I secured additional funding of €4 million in Budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from September 2017, for the most...

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

Richard Bruton: Funding for special education provision in 2017 will amount to some €1.68 billion, which is equivalent to approximately 19% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training and represents an increase in spending in this area of 12% over the last two years. This year, 13,015 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are available for allocation to primary and post primary...

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

Richard Bruton: The delivery of school projects so that all schools in an area can between them cater for all students seeking a school place is the main focus of my Department capital budget. To this end, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses a range of data sources in carrying out nationwide demographic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Data (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am taking it that the Deputy is referring to the combined numbers of Leaving Certificate Mathematics candidates at all three levels (Higher, Ordinary, and Foundation) who were awarded E grades, F grades or no grade in the 2016 State Examinations. The designation of any performance in the certificate examinations as a 'fail' ceased in 1968. The nature of curricular examinations such as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Retention Rates (24 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Higher Education Authority has recently published (April 2017) it's latest Study of Progression in Irish Higher Education, which provides an analysis of data relating to non-progression of 2013/14 full-time undergraduate new entrants to HEA funded institutions.  The study shows that the proportion of new entrants in 2013/14 who did not progress is 15% across all sectors and NFQ...