Results 9,881-9,900 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: It is important to say that two thirds of children with special needs are accommodated in a mainstream class. Not every child needs to be considered for a special unit. A special unit is a six-child unit, with a teacher of its own and two SNAs. Its own space has to be developed. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee that will be available in every single local school. Where the need is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Broadband Service Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I suspect this issue might be debated elsewhere in the House during the course of the day. The delivery of high quality internet connectivity for all schools is a key objective of my Department. Deputy Byrne has outlined why that is important. It is essential to embed technologies for teaching and learning and for the implementation of new subjects. My Department spends some...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Accommodation Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: It is a valid question for the Deputy to raise. Ireland has experienced a significant bulge in pupil enrolments in schools. We have seen significant expansion in the rate of provision of new school places, which puts a high demand on the Department's capital budgets. Since 2011 there have been 340 major school projects and over 120,000 new and replacement places have been provided. My...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Accommodation Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I accept the Deputy's point that patterns of development are changing and that, as a result, the models used to predict growth in the numbers of children in accordance with new settlements have to factor this in. We liaise very closely with the local authorities which have on-the-ground information. We also track child benefit payments data and pick up data for preschool children as quickly...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Accommodation Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: It is worth saying, for example, that last year we provided 19,000 additional places to respond to genuine demographic pressures. Most of them were in areas where we had identified a need. Of course, the Department has to have a planning process and we rely on the local authorities and other agencies to supply us with data. The data we use come from the CSO, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: School Accommodation Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I will check that particular point to make sure any information coming from agencies such as Tusla is factored into the forecasting model which uses the best available information to make accurate predictions. If the Deputy has a better suggestion or a new input that we should examine we will certainly examine it. This uses information that we can track from any sources that can help refine...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The liquidation of the company referred to by the Deputy does not directly affect any school building projects other than the Schools Bundle 5 Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme.  In the case of PPPs, the Department's contract is with a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) rather than with a construction contractor.  The SPV then enters into a separate contract...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Data (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Over 19,500 permanent school places have already been delivered through PPP schools bundles that are currently operational. The Schools Bundle 5 PPP programme was part of the Government's 2012 stimulus package and is the only education related PPP programme currently under construction. This programme will provide 6 schools on 4 sites in Wicklow, Wexford, Meath and Carlow. The schools are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Additional investment has allowed the successful recruitment of over 5,000 additional teachers in the last two years.Since 2012/2013, there are 8,900 more teachers in our schools. No other part of the public service has seen this sort of growth, which is testament to the Government’s commitment to, and the importance of education in, fulfilling our national ambitions. The numbers of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: A contract exists between my Department and the PPP Company Inspiredspaces in respect of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP programme.  Inspiredspaces is the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) responsible for the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the buildings included in the programme. Inspiredspaces is a joint venture between Carillion and the Dutch...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: Over 5,000 additional teachers have been successfully recruited in the last two years and the numbers of graduates from initial teacher education programmes have remained broadly constant. In 2018 it is estimated that approximately 1,870 primary and 1,523 post primary teachers will graduate. In November 2017 I launched a STEM Policy Statement and Implementation Plan, which aims to make...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, with students with special educational needs, to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education.  The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) plans and co-ordinates the provision of educational support services to children with special educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legal Proceedings (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am not a party to the litigation concerning the school in respect of which the Deputy provided details to me. Consequently it would be inappropriate for me to speculate on the outcome of a matter before the courts. Separately I would like to advise the Deputy that I have received a request from the Patron of the school concerned to approve the dissolution of the Board of Management...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware the project in respect of the education campus in Buncrana is included on my Department's capital programme.  My Department is working closely with Donegal County Council in relation to the proposed site acquisition and Council officials have confirmed that an update on this process will be provided to my Department at an early date. Once...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department has received an application for additional accommodation 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 is completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Feb 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: Teachers' Remuneration (1 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 points...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28, 35 and 56 together. In respect of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP programme, a contract exists between my Department and the Principal contractor, Inspiredspaces. Inspiredspaces is the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) responsible for the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the schools. The company referred to by the Deputies has been a 50%...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 46 together. In respect of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP programme, a contract exists between my Department and the Principal contractor, referred to by Deputy Wallace.  This company is the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) responsible for the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP programme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools, including schools in Donegal, 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 to make the Irish Education and Training service the best in...