Results 11,981-12,000 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Primary Online Database (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: The purpose of POD is to monitor the progress of children through the education system in order to ensure that every student can meet their educational potential, and to ensure that every child of compulsory school age is in receipt of an education. POD data will underpin the provision of education in primary schools, with grant payments and teacher allocations to schools based on the...

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

Richard Bruton: The Stage 2(b) Detailed Design Report was recently submitted to my Department by the Board of Management and its Design Team. Following receipt of that submission, my Department authorised the Board of Management to instruct its Design Team to commence the pre-qualification process for the assessment of suitably qualified contractors to which the project can be tendered. This authorisation...

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

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, there are 13 primary schools serving the Swords area. My Department has been in direct contact with a number of these schools in respect of their junior infant capacity. In that regard it is understood that two schools in the area have junior places available should parents wish to avail of them for September 2017. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan for Education outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented over the 3 year period 2016 to 2019 which include restoring capitation funding as resources permit. Budget 2017 represents the start of a major programme of reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that this week, I announced that 975 additional SNAs will be available for allocation to schools from September 2017 which is a 7.5% increase to meet the demands for the new school year. A total of 13,990 SNA posts will now be available at a gross annual cost of €458 million. This is more SNAs than we have ever had previously and will ensure that all children...

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

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, education is compulsory for children in Ireland from the ages of six to sixteen or until students have completed three years of post-primary education. Key considerations for my Department in this matter is our policy of inclusion, where the objective is for children to be educated within the mainstream system to the greatest extent possible. The policy of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department Officials are unable to identify the applicant from the details supplied with the question. If the Deputy wishes to forward more details of the applicant to my Department the issue raised by the Deputy will be investigated.

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

Richard Bruton: Officials from my Department have been working closely with the relevant Local Authorities under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites in order to identify and procure a suitable site for the school. A number of potential site options have been considered and from these a preferred site option has been identified.  Engagement with the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: Earlier this year I ran a public consultation process and held a Forum on the role of religion in school admissions.  Under the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, which last week passed committee stage, schools which are not oversubscribed will have to accept all applicants. This means that religion will not be used in admissions to 80% of schools. It is in the 20% other schools that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that this week, I announced that 975 additional SNAs will be available for allocation to schools from September 2017 which is a 7.5% increase to meet the demands for the new school year. A total of 13,990 SNA posts will now be available at a gross annual cost of €458 million. This is more SNAs than we have ever had previously and will ensure that all children...

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

Richard Bruton: With effect from September 2017, junior cycle provision for Irish in post-primary schools and settings will comprise two new specifications (syllabuses). The L1 (Language 1, in Irish, Teanga 1) specification is targeted at students in Irish-medium schools and students in English-medium schools who learn one or more subjects (apart from Irish) through the medium of Irish. The L2 (Language 2,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post-primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are on the Department's website. Under this scheme schools can have an...

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

Richard Bruton: The 6 year construction programme 2016-2021 included 310 projects for new schools and extension/refurbishment of existing schools. The attached listings show respectively the projects from the 2016-2021 building programme that have reached practical completion, are currently on-site or are at tender stage. There are currently 20 major projects from the 2016-2021 building programme on-site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that this week, I announced that 975 additional SNAs will be available for allocation to schools from September 2017 which is a 7.5% increase to meet the demands for the new school year. A total of 13,990 SNA posts will now be available at a gross annual cost of €458 million. This is more SNAs than we have ever had previously and will ensure that all children...

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

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that a building project for the school referred to is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme (2016-2021). The progression of a building project for the school requires the acquisition of a site. My Department has been working closely with Wexford County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites in order...

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

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. Budget 2012 increased the appointment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Skills Shortages (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Action Plan for Education and the National Skills Strategy detail clear curriculum change and other commitments that will secure the step-change needed to equip learners with the skills necessary to participate in the modern economy. In relation to Science and Technology I expect to publish shortly a STEM education policy statement and implementation plan which will detail...

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

Richard Bruton: In looking at how to meet competing demands across the education and training system within the resources available to my Department, I must take a targeted and balanced approach to directing investment. My aim is to progressively deliver on the ambitions and objectives of the Programme for Government, the Confidence and Supply Arrangement and the Action Plan for Education. As part of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7 March 2017. These Circulars set out the details of a new model for allocating special education teachers to schools. The revised allocation process replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Jul 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, 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 education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate...