Results 9,321-9,340 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health Screening Programmes (21 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department does not operate the HSE health screening programme and I am not therefore in a position to comment on the matters raised by the Deputy or provide the details sought. It appears that these matters would be more appropriate to my colleague, the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Officials in my Department have been working closely with officials from Cork County Council to acquire a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of potentially suitable sites were identified and comprehensively technically assessed. Engagement is currently underway with a landowner in respect of a site option for the school and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Claims Agency Data (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: In PQ 8152/18, I explained to the Deputy that because the type of abuse suffered by an individual is personal to that individual, the information can not be disclosed by any State body or organization holding that data.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Garda Vetting Legislation (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: In April 2016, the Minister for Justice and Equality commenced the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (the Vetting Act) which put in place statutory requirements for the Garda vetting of persons involved in working with children and vulnerable persons. The Vetting Act applies not just to schools but to any relevant organisation that employs,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Banking (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department operates a number of commercial bank accounts and one investment account in respect of the National Training Fund which is held in the Central Bank. Negative interest rates apply in respect of each of these accounts.  The total cost of negative interest rates on deposits held by my Department in 2017 was €70,966.  The Department makes every effort to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I, together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, negotiated a 15-22% pay increase for new teachers. The agreements to date have restored an estimated 75% of the difference in pay for more recently recruited teachers and deliver convergence of the pay scales at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The detail of my Department’s expenditure on all advertising for the period 1 January 2017 - 28 February 2018 is outlined in the table. My Department did not incur any expenditure on external public relations or communications advice in 2017 or to date in 2018. Advertising 2017 Supplier Month Brief description (campaign/event/project etc.) Amount Mediavest Ltd 30-Jan-17 Recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: A very significant number of schools, approximately 360, applied to participate in the Phase 1 rollout of Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE) and/or the Senior Cycle Physical Education (SCPE) Framework, with many applications being of high quality. Given that a limited number of 80 schools was selected for participation in phase 1 it was inevitable that a large number of schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. My Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including the Central Statistics...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has agreed to acquire a property for the schools in question.  The conveyancing process to complete the acquisition is currently in the final stages.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: There has been ongoing engagment between my officials and RIA since the decision to open this centre in Lisdoonvarna. My officials have also been engaging with the local schools and Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board in relation education provision for asylum seekers accommodated in the centre. An official of my Department along with an official from RIA also met...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Recruitment (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Under the terms of the Guidelines for Ministerial Appointments published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform my Department presently employs five special advisers and six civilian drivers which are non established Civil Servants. The five special advisers and six civilian drivers are assigned to the Minister, and to the two Ministers of State in the Department. The special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Following information and advice from the National Emergency Coordination Group and in line with the weather protocol agreed with Staff Representatives in cases of severe weather conditions my Department was closed from 2.30pm on Wednesday 28th February and remained closed on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd of March.  No deductions in pay or annual leave were made to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for additional accommodation. The application will be assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is in the process of acquiring the site for a new building for the school to which the Deputy refers.  The conveyancing process is well advanced. I can confirm that the project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning: the project is being progressed by the design team while conveyancing is being completed. The project is expected to shortly complete...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in the Department’s 6 year construction programme. Officials in the Department continue to work closely with officials in the relevant local authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable location for the school. My Department is working to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The criteria for the award of incremental credit for recognised post-primary teachers under Circulars 29/2007 and 29/2010 were agreed under the auspices of the Teacher Conciliation Council (TCC). The Council is comprised of representatives of teachers, school management, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Education and Skills and is chaired by an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The relevant ETB has submitted an application for additional accommodation on behalf of the school to which the Deputy refers.  This application is being assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved a devolved grant under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2016 to provide 2 Resource Rooms.  This project was devolved to the School Authority for delivery. The School Authority has recently submitted the tender report and supporting documentation.  The Department has...