Results 6,961-6,980 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: Building on measures in previous budgets to enhance school leadership, Budget 2018 made €0.4 million available to fund almost 4600 additional release days for teaching principals in primary schools. This additional funding has provided an increase in the number of release days available to teaching principals in the 2018/19 school year to 17, 23 or 29 days depending on the size of the...

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

Richard Bruton: Budget 2017 allowed for the commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an agreed distributed leadership model and meant lifting the rigidity of the longstanding moratorium on these posts at primary and post-primary levels. This recognises the key role school leadership has in promoting a school environment which is welcoming, inclusive and accountable. €2.75m...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: Budget 2018 marked the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continued to implement the Action Plan for Education, which has the central aim to make the Irish education and training service the best in Europe by 2026. Budget 2018 provided for an additional 1280 teaching posts in the 2018/19 school year. This includes a one point improvement in the staffing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Supply (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: Earlier this year I established the Teacher Supply Steering Group, which is chaired by the Secretary General of my Department. The Group is considering the issues that relate to teacher supply, including: initial teacher education policy, provision, funding and support; data/research requirements; policies and arrangements for schools and teachers that impact on teacher mobility/supply; and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the pre-Budget 2019 submission referred to by the Deputy and can confirm that while it would cost approximately €17.6 million to restore capitation to pre-2011 levels for Primary Schools, the overall cost of restoring capitation funding for all sectors is circa €35.6 million. However, I do recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas Riachtanas Speisialta (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: Tá tús curtha leis an bpróiseas chun comhaltaí de chuid Chomhairle Náisiúnta um oideachas Speisialta nua a cheapadh/a athcheapadh do 2019 go 2022. Beidh Cathaoirleach agus 12 ghnáthchomhalta ar an gComhairle Náisiúnta um oideachas Speisialta, 6 fear ar a laghad agus 6 mban ar a laghad. Ceapfar comhaltaí Chomhairle Náisiúnta um...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme now receive capitation grant assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services. Within the capitation grant schemes, it is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs. Where a school uses the capitation grant funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 to 143, inclusive, together. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme now receive capitation grant assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services. Within the capitation grant schemes, it is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

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: Schools Building Projects Status (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that works commenced on site for the school building project in question in June 2018. The project is expected to take approximately 27 months to complete.

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

Richard Bruton: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board who is Patron of the school. The Stage 1 stakeholders meeting was scheduled to take place in the Department's offices in December, 2017. This meeting was cancelled at the request of the Patron. My Department is meeting with the ETB shortly to discuss the progression of a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (3 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding for an Additional Accommodation Scheme project in April 2018. My Department has not received any subsequent application from the school seeking an increase in the funding approved. The School Authority should submit details of the circumstances giving rise to the increased costs supported by a report from the Design Consultant...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: State Examinations Appeals (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: First, I do not accept the Deputy's contention that I should have directed the State Examinations Commission. It is an independent body and was established as such. In the case of any examination script where a student can apply for rectification, the commission has criteria whereby it re-tots and immediately gives the result. In other cases it does not provide for rectification because...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: State Examinations Appeals (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy should look at the "blacks". He suggested it should not be independent and-----

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: State Examinations Appeals (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy did say it. If he looks at the Official Report, he will see what he said. The board has accepted the court judgment. It has rechecked and made a decision that its executive should review the unacceptable timelines. I have not seen the written judgment, nor have they. Obviously, they will have to see the written judgment, but from my point of view, we are determined to ensure...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: State Examinations Appeals (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I also thank him for withdrawing it last week when I was unable to take it because I wanted to give it seriousness. I am pleased that Rebecca Carter got the course she wanted, which is great. However, the Deputy is right that we do not want young people having to go to court to get access to college courses. Since the ruling was made, as the...

Prohibition of Fur Farming Bill 2018: First Stage (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am sorry about that. My colleague stepped out.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department does not have a dedicated communications, press and public relations budget for 2018. As such, the profiling of expenditure does not arise. Any costs arising from the operation of the office are met from my Department's Miscellaneous subhead and accounted for in the Department's annual Appropriation Accounts.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (2 Oct 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a building project to deliver a major project at the school referred to is included on my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme. My Department has carried out a technical site visit at the school with a view to developing the project brief, which is currently being finalised. My Department will continue to liaise with the relevant authorities on the matter.