Results 9,981-10,000 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (31 Jan 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 ten-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 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (31 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: In January 2017 the school to which the Deputy refers applied for funding under my Department’s Emergency Works Scheme for window, toilet and heating works.  However, this application was unsuccessful as the Emergency Works Scheme is strictly to deal with sudden and unforeseen emergencies in schools.  The works sought were upgrade works and these are appropriate to the Summer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (31 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 179 together. Additional investment has allowed the successful recruitment of over 5,000 additional teachers in the past two years.  Since 2012-13, 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 education and its importance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Career Breaks (31 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The provisions of the Career Break and Job Sharing Schemes are set out in Chapters Eight and Nine of  "Terms and Conditions of Employment for Registered Teachers in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools, which is published on my Department’s website. In response to reported difficulties by schools with regard to recruiting substitute teachers, my Department issued...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (31 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the current and potential teacher shortages in STEM subjects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. Over 5,000 additional teachers have been successfully recruited in the last two years. We are recruiting more new teachers than at any other point in the history of the state. The numbers of graduates from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Supervision and Substitution Scheme (31 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The teacher supply scheme, also referred to as the ‘teacher supply panel’, was discontinued at the start of the 2010/11 school year. The scheme operated on the basis of an additional full-time teacher being allocated to a school to cover certified sick leave absences in that school and a cluster of neighbouring schools. If the teacher was not required on a given day to cover...

Topical Issue Debate: Company Closures (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I must clarify a few points. I wish to reassure Deputy Byrne that the Dutch Infrastructure Fund, DIF, has been mandated by the funders to put together the rectification plan. It is being put together as quickly as possible, so there is no question of funders anywhere not being interested in this. To answer the question of whether we are at the mercy of funders, that is not the case....

Topical Issue Debate: Company Closures (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I thank all the Deputies who contributed and many more as well for their views. The Minister of State, Deputy Doyle, the Minster, Deputy Harris, Deputy Deering, the Minister of State, Deputy D'Arcy, the Minister of State, Deputy Kehoe, and many others have raised this with me. I do not in any way undervalue the concern. I welcome those associated with the schools to the Gallery. Every...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: Tá dhá bhall déag ar bhord COGG. Reáchtálann an Coimisiún um Cheapacháin Seirbhíse Poiblí comórtas chun cathaoirleach an Bhoird a roghnú. Ba in 2015 a ceapadh an bord deiridh agus is i mí na Nollag 2018 a rachaidh a dtéarma oifige in éag. Ceapfar bord nua an t-am sin. Fuair PAS trí iarratas ar chathaoirleacht COGG...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Jan 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 to my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The main support available to assist students with the cost of higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. In 2017 SUSI provided some €370 million in student supports that benefitted more than 78,000 students. Students attending approved undergraduate courses in Northern Ireland can apply for a maintenance grant provided they meet the terms and conditions of the Student Grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. The Design Team is currently working on the Stage 2b report which will be submitted through the Board of Management to my Department. Upon receipt and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 to 217, inclusive, together. The purpose of the Career Guidance review is to ensure that we are providing high quality, relevant career guidance to all students and adults from post–primary up to further and higher education level. The review will look at existing career guidance tools and career information currently in place across the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware, the report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector recommended that demand for patronage diversity should be met in areas of stable population by divesting patronage of existing schools where there is evidence of parental demand for change. In 2012/13, my Department undertook surveys of parental preferences in 44...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Summer Works Scheme is the funding mechanism for upgrade works to the external environment of a school including upgrades to car parking facilities. The school in question may apply for an upgrade to its car park under the next Summer Works Scheme when announced. Alternatively, the school may use its minor works grant for the works as this grant, which was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Services (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 233 together. It is presumed that the educational funding to which the Deputy refers relates to the Clinical Psychologist Traineeship programme operated within the Health Service Executive. As the Deputy may be aware my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) is a school-based educational psychological service to all first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The introduction of Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject is part of this Government’s overall commitment to embed digital technology in teaching and learning.  I asked my Department to accelerate the introduction of this exciting new subject into the first phase of schools to September 2018.  As part of the process of identifying schools to participate in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The introduction of Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject is part of this Government’s overall commitment to embed digital technology in teaching and learning.  I asked my Department to accelerate the introduction of this exciting new subject into the first phase of schools to September 2018.  As part of the process of identifying schools to participate in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that the position is that Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006. The management of their academic affairs, including human resources issues, are matters for individual institutions. In relation to the selection and delivery of courses, the Institutes also have full autonomy under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's 6 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...