Results 12,101-12,120 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The decision to stop the Gaeltacht placement grants was taken during the economic crisis when, unfortunately, very difficult decisions had to be made to stabilise the nation's finances. Priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible, which remains particularly challenging with rising numbers of school-going children. The Deputy should note...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-19 contains more than 30 actions that are intended to make higher education more representative of wider society. One of five goals in the plan is to assess the impact of current initiatives to support equity of access in Higher Education Institutions. These include the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) and the Student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The 2017 scheme and regulations were published in late March. The 2017 scheme includes an amendment to the income threshold for the special rate of grant which has increased from €22,703 to €23,000. This change reflects the recent budget increases to the Old Age Contributory Pension and ensures that qualifying families dependent on welfare, will continue to qualify for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: In 2017, my Department will spend circa €450m on access measures for further and higher education students. This includes circa €390m on student grants and related activities, which is expected to benefit approximately 80,000 students. The Student Grant Scheme is now open for applications for the 2017/18 academic year. This earlier opening date will facilitate earlier...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that Budget 2011 provided for a number of student grant measures which came into effect for the 2011/12 academic year, including the change in the assessment of the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 24 kilometres to 45 kilometres. The 24km distance criterion was originally set in 1968 and had not been updated in more than 40 years....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware of the Action Plan for Education commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households. In response to this commitment, I secured additional funding of €4 million in Budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from September 2017, for the most...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: In December 2012 An additional €3 million was approved to supplement the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) following a survey conducted by the HEA in relation to the demand for the Fund.   This supplementary funding was a once-off exceptional measure which was taken in the context of long grant delays/issues encountered by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) in its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding, along with any funding it receives from private sources, is a matter for the individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Eligibility (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme to carry out extensive roof works. The Emergency Works Scheme has a limited budget.  The purpose of this budget is to specifically  address sudden and unforeseen emergencies that arise in schools and not to carry out major works, the need for which has developed over some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Property (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: In the case of the school pitches to which the Deputy refers, my Department understands from the Christian Brothers Congregation that arrangements have been made to dispose of the lands in question to a developer. My Department has written to the Christian Brothers Congregation seeking clarification on a number of points, including whether the land in question is now the subject of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department’s 6 Year Construction Programme. My Department will be in contact with the school authority in the context of initiating the architectural planning process for the project in due course. In the meantime, my Department recently approved funding to the school to provide interim...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department has published guidelines to assist in the identification and the assessment for suitability of new sites for schools where the procurement of a new site is required. The relevant guidelines are TGD-025 for Primary School site identification and TGD-027 for Post-Primary site identification. All technical guidelines are available on the Department of Education and Skills...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application for additional school accommodation from the school referred to. The Deputy will be aware that my Department’s funding priority is focused on the provision of essential classroom accommodation to cater for increased enrolments. In that regard, the school’s application was examined and having regard to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in the Workplace (29 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Civil Servants at my Department are obliged to comply with the terms of the Civil Service Code of Standards & Behaviour. On entry to my Department as an employee, they are presented with a copy of the Code and they are required to certify in writing that they have received and read its content. At section 12 it addresses the matter of their relations with their colleagues in the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Perhaps I can be helpful. I intend to bring forward an amendment on Report Stage that deals with the issue that Deputy Byrne and other Deputies have raised. It would provide that the National Council for Special Education could advise the Minister on the requirement to open a special class in schools. I will bring forward a Report Stage amendment on that specific topic. I shall bring...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Technically, the amendments are not necessary because equal status legislation already contains a definition. The NCSE is already defined in the relevant section. I clarify once again that I will be bringing forward a provision on Report Stage to allow the NCSE recommend that a school provide a unit. I will ultimately have power to compel in that regard. It will be exercised by the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I will be working as quickly as I can. It is only a month since we completed the work of the forum on the issue. I have now formulated what I believe is the best way forward. Obviously, I must have legislation drafted that will satisfy the Attorney General. That will be tricky. I recognise that Deputy Joan Burton who has just left has a Bill that will be passed on Second Stage at the end...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I regret I am not in a position to support this amendment. Under the Constitution, children have a right to attend school without attending religious instruction, as well as having the right to opt out. Every school is obliged to honour this. The approach we are taking on this issue in the Bill is that we are requiring a denominational school to make absolutely clear what provisions it...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: Schools make all sorts of different provision. What we want is to make a progressive improvement. I do not believe we can make a one-size-fits-all regulation when they all face different situations. Some schools allow children go to the library or resource rooms under supervision. Some pupils go to a classroom where they can participate in other lessons. Some schools are able to stagger...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Richard Bruton: I absolutely recognise change. The census is very clear. The proportion of Catholics is down six points from 84% in 2011 to 78% in 2016. The proportion of those with no religion is up from 6% to 10%. Among parents between 20 and 40 who have children going to school, the non-religious proportion is 60% higher than that 10%. We are talking about one in five or even more across the country...