Results 9,921-9,940 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further Education and Training Programmes Provision (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: This Government has set a target of ensuring that 10% of people aged 25-64 engage in lifelong learning by 2020.  Lifelong learning can comprise formal, non-formal and informal learning.  The Adult Learning BA (ALBA) programme was a learner-centred, flexible and competence based programme which was accredited by Dublin City University (DCU) and offered at All Hallows College in...

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

Richard Bruton: In respect of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP programme, which includes the school referred to by the Deputy, 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 programme.  The company referred to by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Guidelines on Mental Health (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can assure that Deputy that both I and my Department are aware of the vital role that schools play in providing a safe, protective and nurturing environment for children and young people in inuring them to the increasing stresses of daily life. My Department promotes a comprehensive and whole-school approach in schools to the promotion of well-being and positive mental health focusing...

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

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will probably be aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB). Planning permission has been received for the project which is at detailed design stage.  In this regard, the Stage 2b submission was recently submitted to my Department for consideration.  My Department is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Administration (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The identification process for the DEIS Programme has adopted a new scientific approach for the selection of schools for inclusion in DEIS.  As you are aware, the identification of levels of disadvantage in schools is based on data provided by schools themselves, combined with publically available Small Area of Population Census data, as represented by the Pobal HP Index. The...

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

Richard Bruton: 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 Deputy has been a 50% shareholder in the SPV.  The...

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

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school concerned is located in a former primary school building that was secured as part of Government policy on school divesting. The property is subject to a 10 year lease between the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST) and the Minister for Education and Skills.   As the Deputy is aware, the school has submitted an application...

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

Richard Bruton: Through the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary and post primary schools, and some 98% of schools are included in this scheme. All post-primary schools and some special schools are now included in the 100Mbps programme. The policy of my Department is to offer the best quality connectivity...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 was published in July 2016. The Bill which passed Committee Stage on 28th June 2017 and will shortly proceed to Report Stage, is an important piece of legislation which strives to create a new more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The current qualifying distance of 45km for the higher non-adjacent rate of student grant, takes into account a reasonable radius within which students may commute on a daily basis. The measurement of the distances relating to the award of adjacent or non-adjacent rates of student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. The distance measurement for student grant rates...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Eligibility (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The approach taken to identify levels of disadvantage in schools was informed by the Review of the DEIS programme in 2016. As you are aware, the identification of levels of disadvantage in schools is based on data provided by schools themselves, combined with publicly available Small Area of Population Census data, as represented by the Pobal HP Index. The data is applied uniformly across...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (1 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 are working 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 he...

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

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's six year construction programme. 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 school's project brief, are...

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

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department received an application for the provision of additional accommodation at the school referred to in respect of both classroom and ancillary accommodation. When assessing the application it was noted that the existing school accommodation comprises of four mainstream classrooms, two special education teaching, SET rooms, a library/computer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Applications (1 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 key data sources used in the DEIS identification process are the DES primary online database,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Remote Area Boarding Grant (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The purpose of the remote area boarding grant scheme is to give students who are disadvantaged because of their remoteness from schools an opportunity to attend school on the same basis as students not so disadvantaged.  The terms of this scheme are set out in Circular 16/2016 which is published on my Department’s website at...

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

Richard Bruton: The works at the club to which the Deputy refers is part of a larger school building project which is nearing completion. The employers representative who leads the design team has informed my Department that a sub-contractors personnel who were involved in works on the all-weather pitch left the site last Thursday and have not yet returned. My Department has instructed the employers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Defibrillators in Schools Provision (1 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. My Department currently has no plans to provide funding to schools to install defibrillators. The decision to install a defibrillator is made at local school level and is a matter for the board of management of each individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Remote Area Boarding Grant (1 Feb 2018)

Richard Bruton: The purpose of the remote area boarding grant scheme is to give students who are disadvantaged because of their remoteness from schools an opportunity to attend school on the same basis as students not so disadvantaged.  The terms of this scheme are set out in Circular 16/2016 which is published on my Department’s website at...

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

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department approved funding to the school in question to provide accommodation for pupils with special educational needs. The school has since written to my Department seeking significant further funding for additional works. The school's correspondence will be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school...