Results 10,441-10,460 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Minor Works Scheme (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: -----but the Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, has to add up all those demands and ensure a balance is achieved in terms of what is affordable. That is the exercise that has to be done each year at budget time but I take the point the Deputy is making. I would certainly like to see this being put on a permanent footing over time but this is a reasonable arrangement for the schools.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Funchion for her question. The entire House acknowledges that we are dealing with unprecedented levels of homelessness and the Government is seeking to respond to that. My Department has a number of schemes that support the position of children who are homeless but the first point of call would be the Tusla educational welfare service.  The Action Plan for Housing and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I outlined in the reply the role Tusla plays, in particular using its home school community liaison service, its support for public transport, the additional resources for family support, social work and education and welfare. As the Deputy is aware, that whole element has been transferred to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. My Department's national educational psychological...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that Tusla has a service to every school in the country. It is responsible for monitoring school attendance. It deals with schools on a very regular basis to understand the problems it is encountering, monitor difficulties and provide supports as appropriate. The same is true of the National Educational Psychological Service. It has a capacity building service to every...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: No. I would not agree with any such concerns being expressed. It has been a core goal of our Action Plan for Education that every child will have an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential in school. That has had strong legislative support from the Oireachtas when as far back as 2004 we passed the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, which set out the inclusive...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Minor Works Scheme (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy knows, this issue has been raised in the House in the past few weeks, including by members of his party, and I explained at that stage that money was very tight but we were reviewing the capital position for the end of the year and I was endeavouring to find a solution. I am pleased to tell the House that I yesterday announced that €28.8 million minor works grant funding...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Minor Works Scheme (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is a discretionary grant, not a permanent one and is not part of the first call on a capital budget. As the Deputy recognised, it has not been paid every year. Nonetheless, I recognise the point he has made and am very keen that as we shape our ten-year long-term capital plan schemes such as this would become a permanent fixture and I will be putting that case to the Government....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is a core goal of the Action Plan for Education that every child should have an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential in school. Indeed, this has received strong legislative endorsement through the provisions of the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act of 2004 which provides for the inclusive education of pupils with special educational needs. This has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department is satisfied that the delivery of a project in recent years at the school referred to by the Deputy, to provide six new mainstream classrooms and new toilet facilities, provides sufficient accommodation to cater for the school’s mainstream requirements.  In addition, I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department approved the provision of a two-class ASD Unit in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Places (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: In 2016/17 and in 2017/18, I provided for the recruitment of in the region of 3,000 teachers at post-primary level.  All of the 2016-2017 posts have been successfully filled and the process for filling the additional posts in the current year is almost complete. We are successfully filling the posts that we are making available. The latest figures obtained by my Department from the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Property (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: As I have already indicated to the Deputy, the fields at the school in question are owned by the Congregation of Christian Brothers. The decision by the Congregation of Christian Brothers to dispose of land owned by the Congregation is a matter for the Brothers. In July 2017, the Congregation advised my Department in writing that the lands concerned were sold and that the Congregation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Services Programme Review (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Higher Education Authority (HEA) published the report of the Review of the Fund for Students with Disabilities on 27th October. The independent review of the Fund was conducted by RSM UK Consultants as part of the implementation of the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-19. The purpose of the review was to evaluate the role of the Fund in supporting access...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategy Statements (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Department of the Taoiseach’s Strategy Statement 2016-2019 is committed to lead and support whole-of-government structures to drive and monitor implementation of key policies, strategies and initiatives. These will include the Action Plan for Education, Better Outcomes Brighter Futures and targeted new initiatives that have both local and national benefits for citizens. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: Special classes are part of a continuum of educational provision that enables students with more complex special educational needs to be educated, in smaller class groups, within their local mainstream schools. Students enrolled in special classes should be included, where possible, in mainstream classes and afforded the opportunity to access the full range of curricular areas, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department’s capital programme continues to address the challenge posed by a rapidly increasing school population. To meet this demographic challenge, my Department’s Capital Investment  Programme (2016-2021), details the school projects that are being progressed through the architectural planning process towards tender and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Junior Cycle Reform (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am satisfied that there is sufficient time within the timetable for teachers and schools to provide and deliver a broad junior cycle programme in schools.  The Junior Cycle subject specifications and syllabuses set out the minimum time to be allocated to subjects and short courses. Subject to meeting these minimum thresholds, schools have flexibility in allocating time to subjects. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: At a recent meeting with survivors, I expressed a willingness to have a series of consultation meetings around the country, led by and for survivors of institutional abuse.  The purpose of these meetings will be to enable survivors to reflect on their experiences, the State’s response to the issue of institutional abuse and to make any recommendations they wish to make.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department's Capital Programme continues to address the challenge posed by a rapidly increasing school population. To meet this demographic challenge, my Department’s Capital Investment Programme (2016-2021), details the school projects that are being progressed through the architectural planning process towards tender and construction....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (6 Dec 2017)

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 this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, a building project to provide permanent accommodation for the school referred to is included in my Department’s 6 Year Construction Programme. My Department has been working with South Dublin County Council to acquire the site on which the school is currently located. It is intended to progress the building project for the school into the...