Results 7,301-7,320 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Funding (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: Capitation funding is intended to contribute towards the cost of heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep and general teaching aids required in schools. Capitation grants are paid on a per pupil basis. Special enhanced capitation rates are paid in respect of pupils with special needs who attend special schools or primary special classes dedicated to children with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (7 Sep 2018)

Richard Bruton: The current position with the contributions made by religious congregations is set out in the update which was provided to the Public Accounts Committee at the end of July and which is also published on my Department's website. The update can be found at

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Eligibility (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, is my Department’s main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage.  I wish to advise the Deputy that the DEIS Programme is only available in primary and post-primary schools and it is not available in any crèches. DEIS Plan 2017, published in February 2017, seeks to build on what has already been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Guidance Counsellors (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: Measures announced by my Department as part of Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 mean that 500 of the 600 guidance posts that were withdrawn in Budget 2012, will be restored to schools from September 2018. These 500 posts are allocated separately and transparently on each school's staffing schedule.  These posts have been ring-fenced so they can only be used for guidance activities and to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Fees (12 Jul 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: Third Level Expenditure (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, under my Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible students with students paying the student contribution currently stands at €3,000. To maintain this system at current rates, and taking into account the expected increase in student numbers over the next five years, the amount...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Administration (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, is my Department’s main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage.  I wish to advise the Deputy that the DEIS Programme is only available in primary and post-primary schools. DEIS Plan 2017, published in February 2017, seeks to build on what has already been achieved by schools who have benefitted from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (12 Jul 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: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: An application under my Department's Emergency Works Grant Scheme was received this week from the school to which the Deputy refers.  It will be assessed as quickly as possible and the school will be informed directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: To answer the Deputy, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, my Department recently approved grant to the school for a mainstream classroom and 2 special needs rooms. My Department is not in a position to provide funding to the school for a General Purpose Hall due to the necessity to prioritise funding for essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic need. The Deputy will be aware that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Staffing in the Department of Education and Skills by grade as of June 2018 Administrative Staff M F Grade Total (WTE) Male (M) WTE Female (F) WTE Ratio Secretary General 1 1 0 1 0 Assistant Secretary General 9 7 2 7 2 Principal Officer (PO)/ equivalents 47 26 21 1 0.8 Assistant Principal Officer 108 41...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Anti-Bullying Procedures (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: Under the Education Act 1998, the school Board of Management (BOM) is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. Accordingly, whereas the Department provides funding and policy direction for schools, the Department does not have the power to instruct schools to follow a particular course of direction with regard to individual complaint cases. This Department's role is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities Staff (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: The first application for designation as a technological university was submitted by TheTU4Dublin consortium comprising Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown and Institute of Technology Tallaght on 27 April 28. Following consideration of the international advisory panels report and the views of the HEA, it is my intention to communicate my proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a project to provide a new building for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme. Discussions with relevant parties regarding the potential acquisition of a preferred site option are currently in progress.  Officials are working to progress matters as expeditiously as possible in order to facilitate the school building...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: The main support to students attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the Student Grant Scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding, provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution and meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. Under the scheme,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 to 160, inclusive, together. I would again like to assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to the future sustainability of the Castlebar Campus of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).  For this reason the Working Group was established in order to develop a plan to safeguard the future of the campus. The Report of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Data (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to by the Deputy has recently been authorised to proceed to tender for the appointment of a Building Contractor.  Subject to no issues arising during the tender process it is envisaged that construction should commence in quarter 1 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the schools in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.  The project will provide for two independent schools co-located in a campus arrangement. Officials in my Department are liaising with officials in the relevant local authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (12 Jul 2018)

Richard Bruton: Recently published Circular 40/2018 is available on the Department’s website, which outlines the number of days that teaching principals may take as release time in a school year in order to assist them fulfilling their principal duties. Under these arrangements my Department pays for a substitute teacher to be employed by a school to facilitate administrative functions to be...