Results 8,521-8,540 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I assure people that no concerns have been raised about the operation or value of the cervical screening process. It identified 50,000 cases in which there needed to be detailed information and saved 1,000 lives as a result of that work. The quality and worth of the clinical smear testing regime have not been thrown into question. Rather, what has been revealed is a problem with...

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which the Department and Minister have developed a plan to address. I checked the figures this morning. Just over 11,000 people are on the inpatient waiting list for cataract or ophthalmological surgery, with 75% of those seen within nine months. The Minister's plan is to eliminate waiting times of over nine months. To do that, he will use the...

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: -----and that no one will be waiting for longer than nine months by the end of the year.

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy is confusing-----

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: To clarify the question on procedures for Deputy Howlin, that is, where a person has been seen and a procedure identified as being necessary, the target is for there to be no cases waiting for over nine months by the end of the year. At the moment, a little over 2,000 cases have been waiting for longer than nine months. The NTPF will make provision for 5,000 operations, which is more than...

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: -----are confident that, between the existing flow of work and the additional procedures that will be contracted privately, the target will be met. I will ask the Minister to provide the Deputy with the additional detail he requires in terms of locations and service providers.

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Minister will make available any documentation that is required by committees. That is always the case. What the committees should do is entirely a matter for them, and I fully acknowledge their independence. I have been around this House for a long time and I fully recognise the rights of committees to do their business. I must also be conscious, however, that the Dáil is...

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I believe it is very clear, and everyone in the House accepts, that there have been failures in this situation. It raises issues about the longer-term accountability of the HSE. The Minister has signalled that he will introduce legislative change to change the oversight mechanisms for the HSE. The House will have ample opportunity to discuss how best we do this. The Minister continues to...

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I take this opportunity to express again my personal shock and sympathy to the people who have been so appalling affected. The non-disclosure was a major failure of public policy, given disclosure has been HSE policy since 2013. It is categorically clear, however, that this never came to the attention of any Minister. When it did come to the attention of Government, very swift action was...

Leaders' Questions (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The documentation shows categorically that neither the Taoiseach nor the current Minister for Health had any knowledge of the non-disclosure and, as such, it cannot be linked to any decisions that were made by Ministers or the Oireachtas in terms of how they should deal with this. It is very clear that there can be no link because no information was made available to the Ministers concerned.

Seanad: Special Education Provision: Statements (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am delighted that the Seanad has chosen to discuss this area of public policy. I think the Oireachtas can be proud of what we have done in the area of special education. Despite the very difficult environment in which we have been working in recent years, we have consistently increased the resources in the area. Since 2011, the provision in special education has been increased by about...

Seanad: Special Education Provision: Statements (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senators for their contributions to the debate. I will try to deal with each issue in turn. Senators Ó Domhnaill, Gavan and others acknowledged the earlier allocation of special needs assistants. This is welcome. Fórsa was very keen to see this done. It makes for better planning. Whether we can bring the date back to March is probably an open question. We allow...

Seanad: Special Education Provision: Statements (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: It is related to the issue that Senator Devine raised regarding St. John of God special school. As I understand it, the HSE is reconfiguring and moving to a model where it is seeking to have a range of supports within the community and that it would support the children with disabilities in the community, regardless of whether they are in a special school or not. That is the model it is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The July Education Programme (or July Provision Grant Scheme) provides funding towards an extended school year for children with a severe or profound general learning disability and/or children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) enrolled in recognised schools. The eligibility criteria and the terms and conditions for the July Provision Grant Scheme 2018 are set out in the Information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise that my Department has approved the provision of additional temporary accommodation, at the school referred to by the Deputy, to address the school's immediate accommodation requirements. The school has been advised of my Department's decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The level of funding provided to schools and the drivers of costs at school level are kept under review by my Department. Initiatives in order to assist with the reduction of costs at school level and management of finances are in place such as the services provided by the Schools Procurement Unit and the Financial Services Support Unit. I also recognise the need to improve capitation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Minor Works Grant was first introduced in 1997 and since then has issued to primary schools each school year with the exception of the school year 2012/2013. The grant most recently issued to all primary schools last December in respect of the school year 2017/2018. The payment of the Minor Works Grant is not confined to any particular date and can be issued during any month of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question applied for funding under the Summer Works Scheme, under Category 9 - Curricular Requirement Works. The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is designed to allow schools to carry out small and medium sized building works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings. As advised, the Summer Works Scheme is a multi-annual scheme in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (16 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Invitation to Tender documents for a replacement architect for the major building project at the school referred to by the Deputy were issued on 11May 2018. The latest date for the return of Tenders is 28 May 2018. The Assessment of the Tenders will then take place. Planning Permission for the major building project was received from Fingal County Council on 21 January 2015.