Results 9,401-9,420 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: On 14 March last, officials from my Department and the National Development Finance Agency, along with representatives of each of the six schools included in the Schools Bundle 5 PPP Programme, met with the Dutch Infrastructure Fund (DIF). At that meeting, DIF, representing Inspiredspaces (the PPP Company responsible for Bundle 5), provided an update on its plan for the delivery and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a project to provide a new site for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme. Discussions with relevant parties regarding the potential acquisition of a preferred site option are currently in progress with a view to advancing matters as expeditiously as possible. I can assure the Deputy that my Department is in communication with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Supports (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: In December 2017 I launched 'Languages Connect', Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026. One of the aims of the strategy is to support the languages of immigrant communities in Ireland, including the Lithuanian community. Sustaining the language capacity of these speakers will support the growth of language competencies which is sought by this Strategy. I...

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

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of the position at the school property referred to and appropriate security measures have been put in place.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: Individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children in their care. In this instance, school authorities should consult the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) for information and guidance on the issues associated with EMF radiation if they have concerns in this area.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years. Restoring capitation funding as resources permit is one of the actions included in the Action Plan for Education. Budget 2018 marked the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan for Education,...

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

Richard Bruton: The level of fundraising activities is a matter for each Board of Management. However, I do recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years. Budget 2018 marks the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan for Education, which has the central aim...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The policy of this Department is to ensure that all children with special educational needs can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs. This Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, which have enrolled students with special educational needs, in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: This Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent statutory body whose functions include planning and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, a building project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included in my Department’s 6 Year Construction Programme. My Department has been working with the local authority to acquire the site on which the school is currently located. It is intended to progress the building project for the school into the architectural planning...

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

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware the school to which he refers was allocated devolved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2017 to provide 1 standalone mainstream classroom with en-suite toilets, 1 WC for assisted users and 2 resource rooms. The school submitted an application for significant additional funding for works outside the scope of the approved project in February...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for organising and planning provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special classes in mainstream primary and post primary schools. Special classes offer a supportive learning environment to students with ASD who are unable to access the curriculum in a mainstream class, even with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Development Plan Data (20 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The National Development Plan (NDP) 2018 to 2027 includes a number of key investment envelopes for the education sector as follows: - School building programme: €8.4 billion - Digital Strategy for Schools: €420 million - Higher Education Infrastructure: €2.2 billion (excluding PPPs) - FET capital: €300 million The purpose of the plan is to set out an...

Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Special Educational Needs (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The NCSE is an independent body that has been given the power to make decisions in this area. It is not my Department that makes these calls. The NCSE has the power to allocate resource teachers and SNA. We have massively expanded the number of SNAs by 1,000 per year and have provided 1,800 additional resource teachers by means of the past three budgets. We are greatly expanding provision...

Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Special Educational Needs (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Funchion for raising this matter. As I did not get notice of the details on the individual child, I can only respond to the Deputy in a general way. However, I will undertake to get the Department to make contact with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, to advise on the case. It is not the case that people like me can make decisions about the best placement for...

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Products (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Sherlock for raising this issue. I extend my sympathies to Adam and his family for the difficulties he is experiencing. I understand that his case was considered at today's fortnightly meeting, but I do not have information on the outcome of it. As I understand it and as the Deputy described, new priorities can disrupt a ranking on a waiting list and I can understand how...

Topical Issue Debate: Medical Products (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can sympathise with the Deputy saying that waiting lists are inappropriate. In many ways, they are. Every day in this House a new procedure or application is highlighted that could be funded and there is a debate about the allocating of resources to it. We all feel the need to prioritise those cases. Waiting lists appear to be an inevitable part of health services across the globe. I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I negotiated together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, 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 full equality at later points...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 122 together. The criteria for the award of incremental credit (including teaching service in equivalent schools/colleges in the European Union) for recognised post-primary teachers under Circulars 29/2007 and 29/2010 was agreed under the auspices of the Teacher Conciliation Council (TCC). The Council is comprised of representatives of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Expenditure (8 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. Currently over 115,000 children, including almost 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually. The purpose of my...