Results 10,501-10,520 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 141 together. It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: 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 central aim to make the Irish Education and training service the best in Europe within a decade. Budget 2018 provides for an additional 1280 teaching posts in the 2018/19 school year. This includes a one point improvement in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Guidance Counsellors (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: Measures announced by my Department as part of Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 mean that 500 of the 600 guidance posts that was withdrawn in Budget 2012, will be restored to schools from September 2018. All of these 500 posts are allocated separately and transparently on the normal staffing schedule of posts for schools.  These posts have been ring-fenced so they can only be used for...

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

Richard Bruton: I wish 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. The Capital...

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

Richard Bruton: The education system at all levels has developed a number of strategies to meet the existing and future skills demands in the workplace, including the National Skills Strategy 2025 and the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019. One of the key actions in the National Skills Strategy 2025 is a commitment to provide 50,000 modern apprenticeship and traineeship places to 2020. Craft apprenticeship...

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

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 (6 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish 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. The Capital...

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

Richard Bruton: Third level education is constantly evolving in accordance with emerging best practices and national priorities to ensure that graduates, and the institutions themselves, are best placed to meet the needs and demands of the global marketplace.  The system performance framework articulates the expectations from the Third Level system across all areas of activity and from across...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Cathaoirleach. She has outlined the background to the Supplementary Estimate, which provides for €124 million. The main lump relates to superannuation for the increased number of people going out on pension. That provision amounts to €81 million. A provision of €4 million has been made for additional rental accommodation. Bringing forward the Lansdowne...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I will address Deputy Thomas Byrne's point. The actual number of retirees is not that different from last year. There has not been a big surge. Forecasting in this area is, as Deputy Jan O'Sullivan states, a difficulty. People have discretion to retire between the ages of 55 years and 70 years. There has been a difference in forecasting method as between our forecasts and those accepted....

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: First, on teachers' pay, I was in a position to negotiate on the restoration of teachers' pay and we succeeded in restoring 75% of the gap. We have also reached a point where the scales at higher levels are now identical. Substantial progress has been made before the more recent agreement. Under the most recent agreement, a settlement of €900 million to be paid over the next three...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Chairman raised a number of issues. As I understand it, rent paid to another school is met from the normal capitation with which schools are provided. There is no arrangement whereby schools submit applications for extra funding based on rising rents. There is a capitation scheme. The minor works grant was, I understand, introduced a number of years ago to avoid individual...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: To explain, the student support framework is decided at the beginning of the year and then we do an estimate of what it will cost. I am not at liberty to take money that is saved on that scheme and, halfway through the year, decide that I will run a new scheme. One has to go by a budget. There has been a small drop-off in the number of students getting grants. They are down by about 1,700...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Chairman and members of the select committee for taking the Estimate.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is estimated that the average cost per annum to the State of a midwifery student is c. €10,000 - €11,000. Therefore for a four year undergraduate degree this would amount to €40,0000-€44,000 over the period. This takes into account State grant and tuition fee funding paid by the State (where appropriate). It excludes the Student Contribution of €3,000...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: Funding has been made by my Department to two organisations from the list provided by the Deputy in the period 1st January 2017 to date. Set out below is the total paid to each organisation and the purpose of the payments. 1. BeLong To - Total Paid €58,000. Funding was provided to support the programme costs of the 2017 Stand Up! Awareness Week, which is an anti-bullying...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174, 192 and 205 together. I am pleased to advise that I announced the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 for primary schools across the country this morning and payment will issue next 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.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a major building project for the school to which he refers, is included on the 6-year Construction Programme. It is acknowledged that this project will involve complex and careful master-planning of the site. A full technical site visit has taken place and the project brief for the school is currently being formulated. In that regard, my Department will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: Details of the list of approved institutions are scheduled in the Student Support Regulations 2017 which can be accessed at. Bray Institute of Further Education (St Thomas' Community College), Novara Ave, Bray, Co. Wicklow (RN 70770V) is scheduled as an approved PLC school for the academic year 2017/18. Further details of the approved PLC centres and courses in County Wicklow can be obtained...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for...