Results 10,521-10,540 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Status (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 201 together. We have, for the first time, introduced an objective, statistics based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage. The key data sources used in the DEIS...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Appeals (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Professional Development (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The new post-primary mathematics curriculums were introduced in 2010.  Continuing Professional Development (CPD) was developed to support the implementation of the revised curriculums and has been made available to all teachers of mathematics. The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), since September last, has assumed responsibility for CPD support in this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The arrangement to which the Deputy refers is a Revenue Commissioners' requirement under tax law as opposed to a requirement set out by my Department.  In the circumstances, my Department is unable to comment on the rationale behind the arrangement.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together. Under tax law, a school authority is regarded by the Revenue Commissioners as the "Principal Contractor" for tax purposes when it is delivering a building project.  My Department advises a school authority of this at the time the grant for the works is being approved. The main requirement for the school to meet its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cruinnithe an Aire (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: Ar an drochuair,  agus de bharr go bhfuil dialann an-lán agam sna míosa romhainn, nílim in ann freastal ar an gcruinniú le príomhoide agus cathaoirleach an bhoird Scoil Chonaill i nDún na nGall go ceann i bhfad. Tugaim faoi deara, áfach, an t-ábhar ina gcomhfhreagras atá ag déanamh imní dóibh,  agus d’iarr mé ar...

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

Richard Bruton: Very significant numbers of third-level students move out of home to go to college and continue to be supported by their parents while in full-time education. Confirmation that a student is living separately from his/her parents is of itself, not sufficient to establish independent status. When considering whether a student meets the conditions to be assessed independently of his or her...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 197 and 198 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is essential that all teachers have adequate opportunities to avail of the continuing professional development (CPD) being provided so that they are fully informed about the changes to teaching, learning and assessment required for the implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle.  A variety of delivery methods is being employed to facilitate the attendance of teachers at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Allowances (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Government approved a number of measures relating to public service allowances following a public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments conducted by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in 2012. As a result, a number of allowances were withdrawn from new beneficiary public servants, including teachers. A rent allowance was not payable to teachers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: In general, there have been no problems in relation to the recruitment of teachers.  In Budget 2017, we announced 2,400 new teachers whereas we are in the process of actually hiring 2,900 teachers - 21% more than the number announced. I am aware that some schools have reported difficulties in recruiting substitute teachers at primary level and in certain subjects at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Applications (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: We have, for the first time, introduced an objective, statistics based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage. The key data sources used in the DEIS identification process are the DES Primary Online Database...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (5 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: DEIS Applications (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: We have, for the first time, introduced an objective, statistics based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage. The key data sources used in the DEIS identification process are the DES Primary Online Database...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Services for People with Disabilities (5 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: School Funding (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers recently submitted tender documents to my Department for approval.  An examination of the documents has been completed and I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that approval has issued to the school to proceed to tender for the works.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (5 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....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The policy of my Department is to ensure that all children with special educational needs, including children with behavioural or learning difficulties can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs. Where possible, provision is made for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs. My Department's policy is that students with special educational needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: In relation to school uniforms, earlier this year, I published Circular letter 32/2017 ‘Measures to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs’. I want to give parents a strong voice in ensuring costs are always kept to a minimum. Schools have to do everything possible to keep costs down for parents, including the use of generic items, sew on or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (5 Dec 2017)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) consulted on proposals for structure and time allocation in a redeveloped primary curriculum between January and June this year. This consultation was the first time, in almost twenty years, when teachers, principals, parents and the wider public had an opportunity to consider how the primary curriculum is structured and how time is...