Results 7,721-7,740 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (28 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department received an application in recent weeks for the provision of additional accommodation at the school referred to. The application is currently being assessed by my Department and a decision will issue to the school directly as soon as this process is completed.

Seanad: Education (Digital Devices in Schools) Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senators Craughwell and Boyhan for sponsoring the Bill and all Senators who participated in the debate. Everyone agrees that this is an important debate. As previous speakers noted, I do not intend to oppose this Bill. On the one hand, technology has phenomenal power and can be used to transform education. It is an area of great potential. On the other hand, like any powerful...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am advised that the Parliamentary Draftsman would like to reconsider the wording and submit that on Report Stage.

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senators for their contributions. This issue was raised on Committee Stage in the Dáil and we sought to draft an amendment that would be constitutionally sound and we did produce such an amendment. A range of amendments were tabled by other Senators and we sought legal advice on how this could be done robustly. It was very clear that in order to be robust, the right to...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am happy to engage with Members, but the definition is the definition and I cannot change it but it will have to be interpreted. We can offer guidance because the intention is that it is a high bar, but I cannot introduce changes. This will be the text in the legislation. This will be the legal definition. It is what is legally robust and acceptable. I do not want to give a false...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: This is an issue on which there have been many differences of opinion. In a previous Dáil, the then Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn, introduced the 25% cap and I think another former Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, talked of 10%. Senator Ó Ríordáin, who was a Deputy at the time, wanted 0%. To put it in context, this...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The amendments in this group are technical, proofing amendments. They are just replacing verbs and inserting words.

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Before I respond to Senator Ruane, I am advised that I should say there may be further technical or proofing amendments required to the Bill after our discussion on Committee Stage and I intend to introduce them on Report Stage. On amendment No. 47, I am advised that there are already statutory codes in place.It is clear that there are already statutory codes. Section 23 of the Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I assume the Deputy means survivors of children’s residential institutional abuse who applied to the Redress Board, not survivors of the Redress Board.  The Residential Institutions Redress Board was established in late 2002 to make fair and reasonable awards to persons who, as children, were abused while resident in any of 139 specified institutions. Awards were made following...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Students (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Presently, there are approximately 700 students from Kuwait studying in Irish Higher Education Institutions. The majority of these students are studying in the medical fields. Enterprise Ireland, who are responsible for promoting the Irish education system internationally, through the Education in Ireland brand, are working closely with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Higher Education,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently in negotiations to purchase the building currently occupied by the school. When ownership transfers to my Department, arrangements to refurbish the building will be initiated.  My Department will be in contact with the school authority at that point.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's Capital Programme. The project for this school has been identified for delivery as part of a programme for the appointment of a Programme Manager.  My Department expects to be in further contact with the school authority shortly on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128, 131 and 132 together. The Government is committed to the future sustainability of the Castlebar campus of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT). This is the reason why I established the Working Group in March 2017 to develop a plan that would safeguard the future of the Castlebar campus. The Report of the Working Group was published in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department’s Planning and Building Unit received an Emergency Works Application from the school in question in December 2015. The school authority were requested to scale back the works to repair only and apply for a replacement roof under the Department’s Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2016/2017. An application for scaled back works was not received. The school authority did...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally on the same basis to both employed and self-employed applicants. Gross income before the deduction of income tax or the universal social charge, is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded. The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Department of Justice and Equality is responsible for the national criminal justice framework and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs is responsible for national policy in relation to the protection and welfare of children.  My Department’s role is to give guidance and direction to schools in relation to meeting their statutory and other obligations in respect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.  The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.  The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Regarding the property referred to by the Deputy, I can confirm that it is not in the ownership of my Department. The owner of the site is Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (27 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: In April 2018 when the company referred to by the Deputy entered into the examinership, my Department worked closely with the ETB’s concerned to monitor closely the progress of projects during this period. As part of contingency planning arrangements, officials from my Department and the relevant ETBs met with the contractor and the examiner in mid-April to discuss their plans to...