Results 19,921-19,940 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (25 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Institute of Technology Carlow (IT Carlow) already has a campus based in Wexford town, which offers an extensive range of award qualifications from Level 6 through to postgraduate Level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). My Department is supportive of the proposed acquisition by Carlow IT of a site in Wexford for development of a new purpose-built...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that a building project for the school in question was included in the Department's 6 Year Capital Programme (2019 - 2021). In this regard, my Department has requested information from the school and this is awaited. When this is received and considered, my Department will engage further with the school relating to the building project.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Retirements (25 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with the superannuation scheme for Non-Teaching Staff operated by my Department special need assistants, who have had continuous employment which commenced prior to the 1st April 2004 must retire at the end of the school year in which they reach age 65. Special Needs Assistants who commenced employment between 1st April 2004 and 31st December 2012 are considered “new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (25 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is referring to the report of the Technical Working Group (TWG) which was set up by the Teaching Council to formulate advice on teacher supply. The Report focusses on the development of a model of primary teacher supply, while outlining the work which will be required to establish a model of post primary teacher supply. The report was submitted to my predecessor, Minister Jan...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Data (25 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The conditions governing the Grant Scheme for Minor Works to Primary School properties are outlined in Circular Letter 0062/2013. The grant must be used on the physical infrastructure of the school or on items of furniture and equipment for educational use including IT related equipment. The Circular Letter states that the grant will only be paid in future years as funding permits....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Inspections (25 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: In 2016, the Inspectorate carried out a total of 779 inspection visits and 197 school self-evaluation advisory visits in primary schools and 752 inspection visits and 77 school self-evaluation advisory visits in post-primary schools and centres for education. Since 2010, the Inspectorate has developed a range of inspection models varying from short one-day, unannounced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (25 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: 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. This decision also required that such new entrants would start...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (25 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Student Grant Scheme provides that in order to qualify for the special rate of grant, an applicant must meet the following conditions: 1. The applicant must qualify for the standard rate of grant. 2. Reckonable income must not exceed €22,703; and 3. On the 31st December of the relevant period, the reckonable income must include an eligible long-term payment prescribed in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (25 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that it is my Department's intention to relocate the school in question to the property referred to in the details supplied to meet the school's permanent accommodation needs. The property in question transferred to the Minister’s ownership last year. This building is a listed structure that requires extensive refurbishment to make its facilities fit...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 173 to 175, inclusive, together. In the aftermath of the publication, in May 2009, of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (the “Ryan Report”) many of the religious congregations that managed institutions in which abuse took place offered additional voluntary contributions towards the cost of the State’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Recruitment (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The common recruitment system provided for the filling of certain posts (at Grade IV to VII level) by competition on a cross-sectoral basis confined to employees of Health Boards, Local Authorities, VECs, Institutes of Technology and certain other health and local government agencies.  Earlier this year agreement was reached with employers and unions in the education sector to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 to 167, inclusive, and 190 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a new school building project for the school referred is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme. The project brief is to deliver a replacement 8 classroom school on a greenfield site. When considering the scope of a brief for a school building project my Department takes many factors into consideration including enrolment trends, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is important to clarify that Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support and Low Incidence Teaching Hours (LITH) are separate and distinct special educational needs supports which are allocated to recognised schools to support pupils with special educational needs. SNA support is provided to schools to assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating SNAs to schools to support children with special educational needs, who have additional care needs, in accordance with DES criteria, as set out in Circular 0030/2014. The NCSE allocates a quantum of SNA support for each school annually,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The valuation obtained by my Department in relation to the Harold's Cross Greyhound Stadium was undertaken in line with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circulars 11/15 and 17/16. The protocol provides for the Valuation Office to furnish a binding estimate of value. The valuation report was carried out by the Valuation Office, in accordance with the RICS...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Inspections (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Teaching Council is the independent, statutory body with responsibility for setting standards for post-qualification professional practice, including probation.  Decisions on the recognition and eligibility of a teaching position for the purposes of probation are the responsibility of the Teaching Council and are not a matter for my Department or the Inspectorate....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Industrial Relations (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: Decisions in respect of union membership are matters for the individual teacher concerned and my Department does not have a position on this issue.  Issues of eligibility for membership of a particular union should be addressed to that union. The current position is that the Lansdowne Road Agreement as set out in Section 2 of Circular 0045/2016 applies to teachers employed in Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that sanitary works are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme (SWS). The current SWS was announced in late 2015 and is being applied on a multi-annual basis for the years 2016 and 2017. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application from the school referred to under SWS 2016 and 2017. Unfortunately, we are not accepting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (30 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: Additional teaching supports for pupils with special educational needs in primary schools are currently provided through two channels.  The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), has up to and including the current school year, allocated Low Incidence Teaching Hours (LITH) to schools to support children who have an identified special educational need within the low...