Results 8,001-8,020 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

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

Richard Bruton: Following Budget 2018, the equivalent of 100 additional guidance posts have been allocated to our second-level schools with effect from September 2018. The annual cost of restoring these 100 posts is in the region of €6m. 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announced by my Department as part of Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 mean that 500 of the 600 guidance posts that were withdrawn in Budget 2012, will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: A budgetary allocation of €2.3m was provided for the implementation of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education in 2018. The estimated expenditure in 2018 on the Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022 is largely in line with projections. The projected spend on the Policy in 2019 is dependent on the outcome of the formal 2019 Estimates process, which has not yet commenced in terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Languages Programme (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Approximately €1.5m of the €4.5 has been allocated to the Post Primary Languages Initiative (PPLI) to implement the actions assigned to it under Languages Connect, Irelands Foreign Language Strategy 2017 - 2026. In order to put in place the capacity to deliver on actions assigned to PPLI, due process has been followed and 4 additional staff are now being recruited to the PPLI,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Creative Ireland Programme (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department was allocated €1 million for Creative Ireland in 2018. However, I have been able to secure an increase of €0.25 million, bringing the total allocation to €1.25 million. All funding from my Department will be allocated towards initiatives in the Creative Youth programme. To date, my Department has spent €41,000 of the €1.25 million on Creative...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Springboard Programme (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: Funding for Springboard+ is allocated from the National Training Fund. In 2018 an additional €3m was allocated to Springboard+ which will provide for over 1,600 additional places during 2018. Under Springboard+ 2018, which was launched this week, over 8,000 places on 245 courses will be available in public and private educational institutions throughout Ireland. Courses approved for...

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

Richard Bruton: The Mid-Term Review of the Capital Plan 2016-2021 identified an additional €332m for the school sector over the period 2018 to 2021 of which €20m was included for the sector in Budget 2018. The overall 2018 capital allocation for the school sector including the €20m amounts to just under €540m, together with a capital allocation of €30m in respect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: On 11 June 2018 together with my colleagues, the Minister of State for Higher Education and the Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation and Research and Development, we announced capital funding of €8 million in total across 10 Institutes of Technology. The funding will enable the Institutes of Technology purchase equipment and carry out enabling works for the delivery of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Data (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools involving direct access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, access to support and development work to build school capacity to support students, direct support in the event of a critical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Professional Development (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with our commitment under Connecting for Life: Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015-2020, my Department, in conjunction with the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) has introduced a training model for the delivery of SafeTALK suicide prevention training through the Education Centre network. Following discussions with the NOSP on the suitability of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, I have announced new plans aimed at accelerating the provision of multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of parents, families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment to reach 400 such schools by 2030. I would point out that the previous model of patronage divestment yielded...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Supervision and Substitution Scheme (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, additional investment has allowed the successful recruitment of over 5,000 additional teachers in the last two years. Since 2012/2013, there are 8,900 more teachers in our schools. No other part of the public service has seen growth on this scale, which is testament to the Government’s commitment to, and the importance of education in, fulfilling our...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Social Media in Education (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is keenly aware of the challenges faced by educators, parents, and children, in relation to online safety and provides a suite of supports in that regard. The use of social media by schools is a matter for the board of management of each individual school. Through the prescription of school curriculum, the Department supports overall student learning and in particular,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, I have announced new plans aimed at accelerating the provision of multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of parents, families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment to reach 400 such schools by 2030. I would point out that the previous model of patronage divestment yielded...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grants Data (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: It is not possible to definitively estimate the “cost of restoring higher education grant thresholds to pre-budget 2011 rates”. To put it in context, in 2010/11 there were 71,532 students who benefitted from grant support at a cost of €355m, whereas in 2016/17 there were 78,904 students in receipt of grant support at a cost of €377m. In the intervening...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: This Government is committed to ensuring that children with special educational needs are supported and given every opportunity to fulfil their full potential. Special Needs Assistants play a key role in supporting children who have additional care needs to attend school and participate in education. There will be a total of 15,000 Special Needs Assistants working in our schools by the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy, regarding the number of junior infants, senior infants and first class standards in the primary system, containing more than one standard, is as shown. As well as Single Grade classes, with only one standard (Junior/Senior Infants, First Class, etc.) there are Consecutive Grade and Multi-Grade classes, containing more than one standard, as shown. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: There were 68,438 pupils enrolled in Junior Infants in the 2016-17 school year; 71,270 in Senior Infants and 71,027 in First Year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: This Government is committed to ensuring that children with special educational needs are supported and given every opportunity to fulfil their full potential. Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a key role in supporting children who have additional care needs to attend school and participate in education. There will be a total of 15,000 SNAs working in our schools by the end of this year....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 Jun 2018)

Richard Bruton: I recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years. Restoring capitation funding as resources permit is one of the actions included in the Action Plan for Education. Budget 2018 marked the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan for...

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

Richard Bruton: The cost of linking student maintenance grants to the CPI would be entirely contingent on movements in the CPI. According to the Central Statistics Office, the annual average rate of inflation in 2017 was 0.4%. This compares to a no change for 2016 and a fall of 0.3% for 2015. Maintenance grant expenditure in 2016/17 was €171 m. Applying a 0.4% increase to this figure would increase...