Results 8,601-8,620 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Government is committed to helping all children, including children with special educational needs to fulfil their potential. We have increased the budget in the special needs area by 43% since 2011 and doubled the number of special classes. As the Deputy will be aware the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 was published in July 2016. The Bill which passed Committee Stage on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Service Level Agreements (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Contracts between design teams and schools on school building projects subscribe to the standard conditions of engagement that are applied across the entire public sector. These conditions are set out in Pillar 2 of the Capital Works Management Framework on the Construction Procurement website in a document entitled COE1 - Standard Conditions of Engagement for Consultancy Services...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Stage 2b Report for the major building project referred to by the Deputy was received in my Department in September 2017. This report was subsequently reviewed and comments issued to the Board of Management. In February 2018 my Department issued a letter to the school and its Design Team advising them of a timeframe for the progression of this project. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The issue raised by the Deputy would only impact on the grades of Services Officer and Cleaner at my Department. However, the staff presently engaged at these grades are on incremental pay scales and have extensive service and in recognition of this they are on the higher points of the scale which exceed the rate mentioned by the Deputy in his question. 

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Agencies Staff Data (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together. My Department does not have any agency workers engaged at the Department presently. As such, the matter of disaggregation of salary scales among such workers does not arise.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. My Department recently completed the review of the Stage 2b submission for this project and comments have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Internet Safety (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I welcome the recently published report by the joint Oireachtas Committee on children and youth affairs regarding Cyber security and Young Adults. The recommendations from this report are under consideration, and will underpin and inform the development of the draft actions in the new Action Plan on Internet safety. My Department is working with the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. My Department is currently awaiting the return of the supplementary tender report. Subject to no issues arising with the supplementary tender report the project is still on track to commence construction in the second quarter of 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: Demographic trends will have an impact across all areas of the education and training system, including special needs provision, administrative support and higher education. The IGEES paper "Budgetary Impact of Changing Demographics 2017 - 2027" outlines projected public expenditure implications across the education and training sector.  The paper is available online at:  With...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: An analysis of demographic cost pressures from 2017 to 2027 is set out in the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service staff paper ‘Budgetary Impact of Changing Demographics 2017 – 2027’ published in September 2016 by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.  This paper is available at: This paper is based on figures from Census 2016 and focuses on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the case referred to by the Deputy. The background to this case is that in October 2017, I announced changes to the minimum entry requirements into primary teacher training programmes, as follows: Entry 2018 - Irish: H5, English: H7/O5, Maths: H7/O6 Entry 2019 and entry 2020 - Irish: H4, English: H7/O4, Maths: H7/O4 The changes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The building to which the Deputy refers had been scheduled to open in September 2018.  However, a slight delay has been occasioned due to a High Court challenge to planning permission for elements of the project.  This was unforeseen given that the building was well under construction before the legal challenge was taken.   The project is devolved for delivery to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: General Data Protection Regulation (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is considering how best to provide support to schools taking into account the views and assessment of the relevant school management bodies.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (10 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I understand from the details supplied by the Deputy that the property in question belongs to the parish. My Department, therefore, has no function relating to works the parish may wish to undertake outside of the vested school site and funding is not available from my Department for this purpose.

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: In the Louise O'Keeffe case, the legal advice to the Government was that prior notice is required. We have set up an ex gratiapayment scheme under which a number of applications have been made. Some have been paid out but we have also made provision for an appeal mechanism. Mr. Justice O'Neill is receiving those appeals and will be scrutinising them. Among those appeals are some of the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: I will have to get back to the Deputy to give her a report on that.

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: One of these companies has gone into liquidation and the other has gone into examinership. My Department is working with all the interests involved to try to secure the quickest completion of those buildings possible. In some cases, we obviously need to sit down with the examiner to see if the latter can make a commitment to complete the work. The Department will take a decision based on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Social Media in Education (9 May 2018)

Richard Bruton: The use of social media by schools is a matter for the board of management of each individual school. My Department provides information to schools on the safe and ethical use of the internet generally and has a broad suite of policies to support the safe and appropriate use of digital technologies in schools.  Schools are advised on the following matters; the development and...