Results 9,481-9,500 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department recently received an application for an ASD Unit from the school referred to by the Deputy. 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: Schools Site Acquisitions (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is in the process of acquiring a site at the property to which the Deputy refers in order to construct a new school. My Department's officials are currently involved in ongoing engagement with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the vendor’s solicitors, in order to finalise this legal transaction.  Every effort is being made to expedite the process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department is in the process of acquiring a site at the property to which the Deputy refers, in order to construct the new school. My Department's officials are currently involved in ongoing engagement with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the vendor’s solicitors, in order to finalise this legal transaction.  Every effort is being made to expedite the process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health Promotion (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Healthy Ireland Smart Start programme is funded by the HSE for use in pre-schools.  I understand that a range of materials are already available to pre-schools in this regard.  The use of materials as part of the programmes is a matter for the HSE. My Department is working with DCYA and the NCCA to implement the National Síolta Aistear Initiative, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that it is open to the school authority in question to submit an application to my Department.  An application form may be accessed on my Department's websitewww.education.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (6 Mar 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Government approved a number of priority information campaigns which included the Action Plan for Education 2018. In launching the Action Plan for Education, a special pull-out was produced by a national daily newspaper in partnership with the government. While the cost was not met by my Department, I understand it amounted to €8,600 excluding vat. The material produced in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Planning Issues (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: As previously outlined to the Deputy on 7 November 2017, this is a complex planning issue and my Department is in ongoing contact with the relevant parties with a view to finding an acceptable solution to the access issue.  My Department is fully committed to bringing this project to a satisfactory conclusion as soon as the planning issues have been resolved and will keep the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The building project for Greystones Community National School is currently at advanced architectural planning. Tender documents are in preparation and the site acquisition is expected to be finalised shortly. It is anticipated that the project will go to tender in Quarter 2 and for construction to commence in Quarter 3 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department has approved additional temporary accommodation to the school in question to facilitate increased enrolments. Responsibility for installing the accommodation has been devolved to the Patron, Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB).  KWETB has confirmed that a planning application for the accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Caranua regularly publish updates on its website. These updates include extensive details regarding the organisation’s activities including information regarding the number of applications received and the number of persons in receipt of supports, minutes of Board meetings and various related matters. In relation to the minutes of the December 2017 meeting I can confirm to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am aware that 2 members of the Board of Caranua have resigned.  The Board of Caranua has the important job of securing the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of the resources available in the investment account while being fair to survivors, seeking to meet their needs and benefit as many people as possible.  It's a challenging and demanding role and in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and therefore the day to day operations including the determination of the fee rate applicable for individual students is a matter for the Governing Authority of each institution. Accordingly, my Department has no function in relation to such matters. The final decision on this issue is a matter for the individual higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The management authority of each school carries responsibility for making decisions regarding the Transition Year Programme in that school. In some schools, the programme is compulsory for all students. In those that offer it as an option, circumstances may arise where it is necessary to limit the number of students who can avail of it. It is the board of management of each individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Almost one quarter of the Irish population are learners which generates a significant level of interest with journalists that write and comment on the development of education policy and training services. Officials at my Department's press office on a daily basis respond to media queries and engage with national and regional commentators in the print, radio and television media...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Status (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: We have, for the first time, introduced an objective, statistics based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage. The methodology adopted to assess levels of disadvantage in schools is based on centrally held...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 110 together. My Department's policies focus on ensuring that all children can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. A range of placement options for pupils with special educational needs is provided, in order to ensure that all pupils can receive a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the deputy is contained in the following table. Statistics for PQ 10358/18, for Margaret Murphy O'Mahony TD Primary* Post-Primary No. of Schools 357 85 No. of Teachers** 4,099 3412.64 (WTE) No. of Pupils 63,262 40,585 Table refers to County Cork (academic year 2016-17) *Primary school figures include 15 special schools and 342 mainstream schools. **Teacher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (28 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, it is my intention to replace all purchased temporary accommodation with permanent accommodation, where the need is established, over the lifetime of my Department's Capital Programme (2016 to 2021). To enable this development, my Department will be carrying out an assessment of the number of prefabs being used in schools to deliver the curriculum. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelcholáistí Issues (28 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Maynooth Community College opened in 2014 with an Irish-medium Aonad and it was stated that should the Aonad demonstrate sufficient viability after four years from its date of establishment, a Gaelcholáiste would be established, in a partnership patronage model between Kildare and Wicklow ETB and An Foras Pátrúnachta.  As part of the Major School Building Projects...