Results 9,181-9,200 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 and 176 together. My Department's Capital Programme (2016-2021) continues to address the challenges posed by the significant bulge in pupil enrolments going through our schools. This has seen a significant expansion in the rate of provision of new school places. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed through the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department's Capital Programme (2016-2021) continues to address the challenges posed by the significant bulge in pupil enrolments going through our schools. This has seen a significant expansion in the rate of provision of new school places. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed through the architectural planning process, including those schools in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department's Capital Programme (2016-21) continues to address the challenges posed by the significant bulge in pupil enrolments going through our schools. This has seen a significant expansion in the rate of provision of new school places. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed through the architectural planning process, including those schools in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department received an application for the provision of additional accommodation at the school referred to in respect of both classroom and ancillary accommodation.  The application was assessed by my Department and it was determined that there was no deficit of essential accommodation at the school.  This decision was advised to the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research Funding Applications (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Under Innovation 2020, a new competitive fund to support researchers to undertake project-based frontier research, and to develop as Principal Investigators, was established by the Irish Research Council. Following the establishment of the Laureate programme in April 2017, a call was issued for both “Starting” and “Consolidator” grant applications.   There...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. The school was recently authorised to issue the Letter of Intent to the preferred tenderer. Subject to no issues arising it is anticipated that construction will commence in the second quarter of 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The schools referred to by the Deputy form part of Schools Bundle 5, the PPP project which has been impacted by the liquidation of Carillion.  The Dutch Infrastructure Fund (DIF), representing the PPP Company responsible for delivery of Schools Bundle 5, is currently implementing a rectification plan to secure service commencement on the five school buildings...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, the schools to which the Deputy refers to were opened under the Patronage Divestment process and a case was submitted by the patron body of the schools in relation to enrolment levels. In this regard, my Department wrote to the patron body on 23rd March last, indicating that these schools can be facilitated to develop over time with enrolment in each school to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (29 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: 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 28 June 2017 and will shortly proceed to Report Stage, is an important piece of legislation which strives to create a new more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary and...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank the committee for taking the Estimates. We are in a period where we are seeking to rebuild in education after a very difficult time, which we all acknowledge. We are in a position to expand the number of teachers we are employing and in the past two years we have seen approximately 5,000 extra teachers deployed. In particular we have looked at areas like special education, and we...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Thomas Byrne acknowledged the progress we have made in areas such as the pupil-teacher ratio, guidance and resource teaching, for which he is a strong advocate. These improvements have been significant and I welcome the Deputy's support for them. The Deputy also raised the issue of newly qualified teachers. Negotiations with teachers, which took place within three months of my...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked to what the figure of €236 million relates. It covers pay restoration, not only for new entrants but also other elements. I pay tribute to Deputy Jan O'Sullivan for the work she did when she was Minister for Education and Skills. During her term, she implemented a pilot programme and gained acceptance for the new approach, which I fully support. The...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Both sides have to enter into negotiations on the pay issue in good faith. I am not going to seek to represent a certain view. This issue exists across the public service and is not confined to teachers, nurses or any other group. The public service pay agreement that provided for €900 million was negotiated with the trade unions, which did not prioritise new entrant pay for that-----

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am not blaming the unions. The position of new entrants was not prioritised in the settlement.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Provision was made for this to be discussed through a process and that process has already started. A cost has been indicated. The Government has indicated that it will start negotiations on foot of that report. That is the current situation. I have to say that all of these pay cuts happened before I became Minister for Education and Skills. Indeed, some of them were initiated when...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: There are collective agreements. We committed to a system of collective agreement within the public service. That means the trade unions negotiate for the entire public service, right across every branch. We do not have separate negotiations for some parts of the public service because they are intricately related. We cannot give increases in one area without recognising the knock-on...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I will try to get the figures. Traditionally, apprenticeships were in male-dominated areas. As members are aware, they were mechanics, engineers, electricians, plumbers and so on. What we are doing now is developing an entirely new suite of apprenticeships. The 27 traditional ones are there still and we are seeking to develop over 50 news ones. They are at various stages of development...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: It did not, until this specific provision, but from 2018 to 2021 a specific element is being introduced. I think it is combined with higher and further education and it is under the NTF. There will be a specific provision. It is €70 million over the coming years. Previously it had been running at a very low level and it was not shown separately in the Estimates.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: It is under the capital head.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Revised) (28 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: At the moment it is in the SOLAS capital.