Results 10,061-10,080 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (23 Jan 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 name of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) responsible for the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the programme. The company referred to by the Deputy has been a 50% shareholder in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Retirements (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: Entitlement to a teacher’s pension on grounds of ill-health is not automatic. Such a pension is granted under the statutory pension scheme for teachers by my Department where the Occupational Health Service physician, following detailed assessment of the available medical evidence, recommends that the teacher is no longer incapable by reason of infirmity of discharging his or her...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application to my Department for additional accommodation last week.  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: Emergency Works Scheme Funding (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers applied under my Departments Emergency Works Scheme to carry out works to a damaged fence.  My Department is currently awaiting additional information from the school.  Once this information is received a decision will issue directly to the Board of Management.  

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware the project to which she refers is included on my Department’s capital programme. Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Donegal County Council in relation to the acquisition of a suitable site to accommodate this building project.  Given the difficulties encountered in the site acquisition process to date, Council and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware, the project to which she refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB). The project is currently at pre-stage 1 of the architectural planning process which is the outline sketch stage.  The ETB recently submitted the pre-stage 1 report to my Department and this is being examined in my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that phase 1 of the project, the construction of the temporary school and decant has been completed at Mercy Convent, Naas. Phase 2, demolition of the existing school building and construction of the permanent 32 classroom school recently commenced. The contract period is 24 months.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which she refers is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme. The project brief is being finalised with a view to progressing the project into architectural planning.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fire Safety (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: Officials from my Department have had a number of meetings with the Chief State Solicitor's Office. Discussions with the CSSO are ongoing and I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that while this process is ongoing that any such advice sought by my Department is legally privileged. I am not in a position to comment further at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for approving special classes. Should the NCSE approve a special class unit in the school referred to by the Deputy, it would be open to the school to submit an application for additional accommodation should there be a deficit of accommodation.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Contracts (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: Teaching Service given by a registered teacher in a substitute capacity, in a recognised school, whether given during a career break or otherwise, and for which salary is paid by my Department, is reckonable for pension purposes. This is regardless of whether the service is given under a pre-existing teachers’ pension scheme or under the Public Service Single Pension Scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Payments (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The Minor Works Grant in respect of the school year 2017/2018 was paid to the school referred to by the Deputy on 12 December 2017. The payment of the Minor Works Grant is not confined to any particular date and can in fact, if paid, be issued during any month of the school year. For the 2002/2003 school year, part of the grant was paid in May 2003, with the balance in October 2003. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school referred to by the Deputy is an ETB school. ETB schools are not funded directly by my Department but are funded via pay and non-pay budget allocations provided to each ETB. Pay budgets are provided to ETBs in accordance with approved staffing complements. Non-pay current funding is provided as part of a block grant that covers ETB overheads and other activities...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts Data (23 Jan 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 name of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) responsible for the design, construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the programme. The company referred to by the Deputy has been a 50% shareholder in InspiredSpaces. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: My Department replied to the correspondence referred to by the Deputy on 9th January 2018. I do recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, the school in question applied for significant capital funding for various improvement works. The matter of phasing and prioritising the works was discussed with the school during a visit by my Department's technical division. An area of priority that the school wish to see addressed relates to insulation works. My Department spoke with the school principal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (23 Jan 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: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: The school building project to which the Deputy refers is currently at tender stage. Tenders for this project are currently being assessed. Assuming no further issues arise and the contract is awarded the project will thereafter proceed to construction in Quarter 1 of 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 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 has submitted written confirmation that it has completed a final review and is satisfied that the tender documents are complete, correct and in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (23 Jan 2018)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the amalgamation process involving the Cahir schools will be finalised with the delivery of the major school building project. In that regard, the major building project is currently at Architectural Planning, Stage 2A, which is the Developed Sketch Design Stage. The Board of Management and Design Team are currently working on the Stage 2A report for...