Results 6,941-6,960 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. The issue of road safety measures in general in the road network outside the area of vested school sites such as road signage, traffic calming measures, car parking and pedestrian facilities are the responsibility in the first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I negotiated, together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, a 15-22% pay increase for new teachers. As a result of these changes, since 1 October 2018 the starting salary of a teacher is now €36,318, and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 to 92, inclusive, together. This government is committed to ensuring every child with special educational needs has the opportunity to fulfil their full potential. Funding for special education provision in 2018 will amount to some €1.75 billion, up 43% since 2011 and equivalent to 18.7% of the gross overall current allocation for education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: My aim for Budget 2019, as it has been in previous years, is to progressively deliver on the commitments set out in the Action Plan for Education, in the Programme for a Partnership Government and in the Confidence and Supply Arrangement and to meet demographic and demand pressures, which can have significant resource implications. It is in that context that I will formulate my specific...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school referred to is included in my Department's Capital Programme. In that regard a technical site visit was carried out by my Department at the school's current site with a view to developing the project brief. My Department will continue to liaise with the school authority in respect of the project.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Status (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has introduced an objective, statistics based model for assessing which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage. DEIS Plan 2017 states that the improved data on the socio-demographic of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Supports (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware under Action 88 of DEIS Plan 2017 the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and Tusla committed to review the current provision for out-of-school education to inform future supports in this area. This review will assist in the development of a plan for a successful interagency approach to supporting groups such as children and young people who have disengaged or are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: A set out in the response to Parliamentary Question no. 281 of September 2018, it was estimated that an overall budget of €2.3m would be required in 2018 to implement a range of actions in the Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022. The cost for the allocation of additional teaching hours to primary and post-primary schools participating in the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: A key aim of my Department's Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022 is to increase the supply of teachers who can deliver high quality Irish medium education in primary and post-primary schools. To work towards achieving this Policy objective, in March 2018, I announced plans for the commencement of two new Irish-medium teacher education programmes which will deliver up to 60 new places for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: As this refers directly to an individual person I have referred this query to the NCSE for direct reply to the Deputy. The NCSE through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including applications for assistive technology. SENOs make recommendations to my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (4 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). While the NDFA secured a Notice To Grant Planning Permission for the project from the local authority, this has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála by third parties. The project will be progressed when the decision of the Bord becomes available. Pending that...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am glad to say I have been in a position to commence a number of the measures to date, specifically, the restriction on the use of religion in admission to primary schools and the provision in regard to giving the Minister the power to designate a school to open an ASD unit, which was something Deputy Thomas Byrne was very keen to see included in the Bill. There is also commencement of the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am not aware of this particular problem. I will talk to the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, and departmental officials to see what is causing the delay in issuing the grant. I will get back to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will know I met him and others about this when I visited Donegal in the recent past. We are working very closely with Donegal County Council to seek to secure a solution. I am aware of the newspaper reports the Deputy mentioned. At this point I am not in a position to clarify the way forward. I will communicate with the Deputy and other Deputies as soon as any clarification is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme. In the context of progressing the building project, my Department has undertaken a site visit to the school and the schedule of accommodation and project brief is currently being devised. My Department will liaise directly with the school authority on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Staff (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I understand from the Deputy that the support staff referred to are non-teaching staff based in colleges of further education employed in CDETB. The position is that ETBs receives an administration & maintenance staffing allocation from my Department. The way in which such staffing is allocated to individual ETB schools, colleges and other activities within the CDETB is entirely a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Stage 2(b) submission has been reviewed by the Department and comments were issued to the school and its Design Team. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I negotiated, together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, a 15-22% pay increase for new teachers. As a result of these changes, from 1 October 2018 the starting salary of a teacher will be €36,318, and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: In the second report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body (issued in December 2007), the Body recommended pay increases for 15 grades, including changes to the allowance payable to Principals of primary schools and of small post-primary schools. This measure was not implemented due to the State’s worsening financial circumstances. Implementation of recommendations of the...