Results 8,341-8,360 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Other Questions: Scoileanna Gaeltachta (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The time limit I have for the expression of interest form is before 1 June. Thereafter, there is a process where the school has to be approved by the Department, in that its approach and planning is satisfactory. That triggers the additional supports. I do not see a particular time limit-----

Other Questions: Scoileanna Gaeltachta (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Schools in Gaeltacht language planning areas will receive further opportunities to express an interest in the Gaeltacht school recognition scheme in spring 2019 for the school year 2019-20. This, along with any additional supports, will be communicated. Even if the 1 June deadline is missed, it is a matter for the school board of management to consult with the school community in advance of...

Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I have set out what I believe is a significant ambition, namely to have the best education and training services by 2026. We are making steady progress towards that. The 6,000 additional teachers have allowed important priorities to be met. The restoration of guidance, on which Deputy Thomas Byrne is very keen, has been achieved, in addition to the implementation of junior cycle reform,...

Other Questions: School Accommodation (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Daly. She has a question tabled on St. Michael's House special school in Skerries. There is a project to deliver a new building at St. Michael's House. It will provide a new 14-classroom school, expandable to 16 classrooms, which will potentially increase its capacity from 30 students to 96. A potential site has now been identified after initial efforts were unsuccessful....

Other Questions: School Accommodation (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I will have to get back to the Deputy with details. It states in my documentation that the Department is committed to providing a permanent accommodation solution for the school and that a project to deliver the new school on a greenfield site has been included in the six-year programme. It is stated a site acquisition process is currently under way. This sounds like there are no technical...

Other Questions: School Accommodation (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: My response states negotiations with the relevant landowner are currently at an advanced stage. With regard to timing, it is stated that, assuming agreement on terms is reached, issues may arise at conveyancing stage and that these will have to be addressed satisfactorily. That is the normal protection included. It is stated there are some clarifications required on technical issues...

Other Questions: Scoileanna Gaeltachta (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Níl an Ghaeilge go líofa agam. I will have to freagair as Béarla. There are 133 primary schools and 28 post-primary schools located in Gaeltacht language-planning areas. One hundred and six applications have been submitted from primary schools and 27 applications from post-primary schools seeking recognition as Gaeltacht schools. Twenty-seven primary schools and one...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Heydon and others have made the point about the pressure in areas like south Kildare to me previously. All decisions must be kept under close review because the population pressures and plans are changing quite rapidly. We recognise that and an undertaking has been given that south Kildare in particular will be examined because the pressures there are very significant and we have the...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I will ask the Department to look at those elements in particular. Clearly there would be merit in accommodating a number of improvements in one project. As I said to Deputy Durkan earlier, in the more medium term we have set aside a substantial sum for the deep refurbishment and retrofitting of our older schools because we recognise that this is a challenge that we must meet over the next...

Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The aim for budget 2019, as it has been in previous years, is to deliver progressively on the commitments set out in the action plan for education, the programme for Government and the confidence and supply agreement. I have set out four key areas where I am seeking to make improvements so that Ireland becomes a leader in Europe. The first is to improve the quality of the learning...

Other Questions: Departmental Priorities (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I agree with the Deputy that skills will be a key magnet and in that context, it is significant that this year we saw Irish ten year olds become the best at both reading and mathematics in Europe. We also have the highest rates of progression to third level and the best levels of skill availability across the EU. We are making very significant progress but I agree with the Deputy that we...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The mid-term capital review made provision for increased investment in my Department’s school capital programme. That programme has been delivering an average of 18,000 places per year in major projects and close to 8,000 per year in smaller scale additional accommodation. This building programme has allowed us meet the needs for extra places for an exceptional period of pupil...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: There is no doubt that meeting this level of population expansion has put a strain on other work. The Deputy knows that areas such as PE halls have not been possible in recent years. Other things that one would like to do that have had to take second place to ensuring that we have places for every student who needs them. We certainly meet emergency requirements within our budgets. Looking...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: We will start a systematic prefab replacement programme next year, in 2019. There has been a steady reduction over the longer period on the reliance on prefabs. However, at times, in order to meet the population pressures, we have had to resort to prefabs and there has been some increase in their use in recent years. From next year, the programme will allow the facility to replace them....

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that we will keep it under review. The process has been conducted in a fair and objective way across the country. It has taken a four-year horizon in terms of projected needs based on demography, local authority plans and so on. Extra school places often are delivered by extending existing schools. It is not always the case that an area's needs must be met by...

Other Questions: Speech and Language Therapy (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick for his support for the scheme. The scheme was recently announced as a demonstration project. It is to run in the next school year, 2018-2019. It involves 75 primary, post-primary and special schools and 75 preschools, making a total of 150 settings. They will all be in community healthcare organisation region 7 of the HSE, that is, south-west Dublin, Kildare...

Other Questions: Speech and Language Therapy (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: We will set up a group to assess the programme over the course of its first year of operation. This will give us an early indication of its success. Regarding the other aspect, that is, the roll-out of the programme, the investment involved is €2.25 million, mainly from my Department but also from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. We will have the Educational Research...

Other Questions: Speech and Language Therapy (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick. To be fair to Deputy Thomas Byrne-----

Other Questions: Speech and Language Therapy (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick for his support for both this initiative and the SNA provision. They are very worthwhile provisions and, to be fair to all parties in the House, it has been a feature in recent years that there has been very strong support across the Oireachtas for investment in special needs. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. The Oireachtas has voted an increase of 43%...

Other Questions: School Admissions (22 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The process will start and initially we will run it in a number of areas. Based on any success we may move to another number of areas. It will become a rolling programme and it will be based on surveys of preschool preferences. It will involve working with patrons. We are in the good position that the leadership of Catholic schools recognise that they need to support diversification and...