Results 9,741-9,760 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has applied for major capital funding for the provision of a sports/sssembly hall. Due to the very significant challenges facing my Department in prioritising available capital funding for essential mainstream classrooms to meet the demand for extra school places, my Department is not in a position to consider funding such a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (13 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 Curriculum (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: A new primary language curriculum for junior infants to second class has been developed.  Implementation of the new curriculum commenced on a phased basis in 2016 starting with the oral strand.  This was prioritised to allow teachers to emphasise the importance of speaking Irish as a living language. There are two curriculums; one for Irish-medium schools where Irish is the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Defibrillators in Schools Provision (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The position is that under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. The decision to install a defibrillator is made at local school level and is a matter for the board of management of each individual school. I understand that a national steering group on out of hospital cardiac arrest was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has been liaising with the school in question regarding its accommodation needs and has approved additional accommodation to facilitate the school's expansion. A letter to this effect has issued to the school.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to by the Deputy has a major building project with my Department. A design team has been appointed for this project and is currently working on a Stage 1 submission - site suitability, site report and initial sketch scheme. This is an extension and refurbishment project to the existing school to provide additional accommodation consisting of 2 no. mainstream...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Defibrillators in Schools Provision (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The position is that under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. The decision to install a defibrillator is made at local school level and is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school.  I understand that a National Steering Group on Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which she refers is included in my Department's six year capital programme. The delivery of the building project necessitates the acquisition of a suitable site. Officials in my Department are working closely with officials from the local authority in relation to the identification and acquisition of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The company referred to by the Deputy has been a 50% shareholder in Inspiredspaces, the special purpose vehicle, SPV, responsible for the construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the public private partnership, PPP, schools bundle 5 programme. The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) managed the procurement of the schools bundle 5 PPP Programme on behalf of my Department....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware, the project to which he refers was announced as part of my Department's Six Year Capital Programme in 2015. Officials in my Department continue to work closely with officials from the relevant local authority under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable permanent location for the school to which the Deputy refers and with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: A building project for the new post-primary school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s current 6 year construction programme. Officials from my Department have been working closely with Limerick City and County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites in order to identify and procure a suitable site for the school. ...

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: This service is provided by the Department of Education and Skills in conjunction with Bus Éireann. In respect of the very sad accident yesterday, I express my sympathy to those who were hurt. I thank the emergency services and the school for the instant plan and the supports that were put in place. The service is delivered with Bus Éireann. I have no reason to believe Bus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (8 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for Presentation De la Salle, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow is included in my Department's 6 year Construction Programme (2019- 2021). I wish to advise the Deputy that a school site visit, by my Department's technical staff, has taken place, in the context of progressing the school project concerned. Schedules of accommodation, for purposes of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland Administration (8 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) was established on 6 November 2012 by the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 through an amalgamation of four predecessor agencies - the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC), the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) and the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Arts in Education Charter (8 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Arts in Education Charter, launched in 2013, is a joint initiative of the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht working in association with the Arts Council to promote arts-in-education.  The appointment of a chair to the Arts and Education Charter High Level Implementation group is a joint decision between myself and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Strategic Communications Unit (8 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I attended a meeting with the Strategic Communication Unit on 29 September 2017 at my Department's headquarters in Marlborough Street. The purpose of the meeting was to appraise me and officials on the remit of the Unit which will streamline communications and keep the public informed of major cross Governmental campaigns. The Government Strategic Communications project is part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (8 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic attainment and means. The income thresholds for the Student Grant Scheme are announced annually as part of the Budget process. No changes to the thresholds were included in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question submitted an application for capital funding to provide additional accommodation. The application will be considered 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 Health and Safety (8 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Irish Building Regulations Part B do not require sprinklers in schools. In February 2014 my Department published a Guidance Document for design teams on Fire Strategy in Schools Design. This document which was compiled following consultations with the Fire Officers Association is available on my Departments website at

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (8 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department has received correspondence in respect of the school referred to in regard to a proposal to enhance the school's facilities. The proposal, which includes an application for addition accommodation together with a request to extend the school site, is being considered and my Department will be in further contact with the school...