Results 10,361-10,380 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The school building project to which the Deputy refers is currently at tender stage. Letters of Intent for this project issued on 28th November. Assuming no further issues arise and the contract is awarded the project will thereafter proceed to construction early in Quarter 1 of 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has recently submitted an application to my Department for additional accommodation. A decision on the application will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department is in receipt of an application for additional accommodation from the school referred to by the Deputy. Additional information sought and recently received from the school authority is being considered. My Department will be in direct contact with the school authority concerned when the assessment process has concluded.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. This has been used to negotiate substantial improvements in pay for new teachers including a 15-22% increase in pay which I negotiated last year. The agreements have, to date, restored an estimated 75% of the difference in pay for more recently recruited teachers and deliver full equality...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: A new integrated Primary Language Curriculum for junior infants to second class, incorporating both Irish and English, was introduced from September 2016. This curriculum supports children’s language learning in our two languages, Irish and English, through high-quality experiences. The curriculum aims to ensure that children acquire transferrable language skills which will assist...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Payments (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to advise that on 5 December, 2017 I announced the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 for primary schools across the country and payment will issue this week. The funding will allow minor works to be carried out on the physical infrastructure of schools or on the purchase of items of furniture and equipment Building on measures in previous budgets to enhance school leadership, Budget...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The report of the GMIT working group has now been submitted to my Department. I will consider the findings and recommendations in the report, in conjunction with officials in my Department. Given the importance of this report to the future sustainability of the GMIT Castlebar campus, a full and comprehensive consideration of its findings and recommendations is necessary. For this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that I published the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 on 6 July 2016 and the Bill passed Committee Stage on 28 June 2017. During the Committee Stage debate on the Bill I indicated that I would bring forward an amendment at Report Stage that would provide a power for the Minister to require a school to open a special class or classes where the NCSE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. The NCSE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware my Department issues capitation related grants to schools in instalments throughout the school year. The next tranche of capitation related funding will issue to schools in January 2018. The following are links to the most recent circulars published on my Department's website in relation to capitation grants which includes details of the timing of payments:

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a Category 7 application for  window replacement under the Summer Works Scheme from the school to which he refers. The current Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is being applied on a multi-annual basis. Nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Almost €80...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. The Board of Management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all of the students in their school and care and safety should be at the centre of all policy and practices. The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) advise that, by law,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The current Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2016 -2017 was applied on a multi-annual basis. The Deputy will be aware that nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Almost €80 million has been approved to date under the Summer Works Scheme, in respect of over 640 school projects in categories 1 - 6. Details of the successful school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. The determination of the criteria by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (12 Dec 2017)

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. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Stage 2b submission has been reviewed by the Department and in August 2017 my Department issued comments on the stage 2b...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The project at the school referred to by the Deputy, will comprise of a new two storey 8 classroom primary school at the existing site. In June of this year a Design Team was appointed and the project commenced Stage 1 of the Architectural Planning Process. Stage 1 is the Preliminary Design Stage where the Design Team in conjunction with the school authorities will analyse all the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: Tá mo Roinn, trí thionscnaimh éagsúla, ag cur na Gaeilge chun cinn sa chóras oideachais agus ag tacú leis an gcóras Gaeloideachais. Tá an Roinn ag rannchuidiú le roinnt gníomhaíochtaí sa Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge rud a léiríonn tiomantas na Roinne sa réimse seo. Tugadh isteach curaclam nua don Ghaeilge ar...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (12 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a Category 10 application under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) from the school to which she refers.   The current SWS is being applied on a multi-annual basis. I also wish to advise the Deputy that nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (12 Dec 2017)

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. ...