Results 12,841-12,860 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 105 and 117 together. The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Assistance (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: Under the terms and conditions of the Third Level Irish Scholarship Scheme, designed specifically to recognise achievement through Irish, scholarships are awarded annually to students from the Gaeltacht. The awards paid are equivalent to the maximum standard rate of grant payable under the Student Grant Scheme and no means test applies in the case of these scholarships. The scholarship...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (18 May 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: Schools Building Projects Data (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold the details requested by the geographical area to which she refers. However, the current status of the 29 school building projects in County Kildare that are included on the Department's 6 Year Capital Programme is outlined in the following table. The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: It is my Department's intention to relocate the school referred to by the Deputy to their proposed new location as their long-term permanent accommodation. The new proposed building will, however, require significant remediation works and my Department will be in further contact with the Patron on this matter. In the interim, the school has been advised to extend the lease at its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department is in receipt of an application for additional temporary accommodation from the school referred to by the Deputy.  The application is currently under consideration and when a decision is made my Department will be in direct contact with the School Authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is not in receipt of a recent application from the school referred to in respect of its accommodation needs. It is open to any school to submit an application to my Department if they have identified a deficit of classroom accommodation to meet increasing enrolments or to accommodate an additional teacher appointment. Application...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The core function of the redeployment arrangements has been to facilitate the redeployment of surplus permanent and CID holding teachers to other schools that have vacancies.  The redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers is key to my Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers. A voluntary redeployment scheme operated on a pilot...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: Officials from my Department have had preliminary discussions with officials from the relevant local authority regarding the zoning of the site. With regard to specific school provision for the site referred to by the Deputy, my Department is currently engaged in a review of demographics which will determine the extent of new school provision required nationwide.  Initial projections...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 May 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.  The staffing arrangements for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology Funding (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 to 129, inclusive, together. My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions, including Institutes of Technology (IoTs) such as Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT). The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions and the internal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Courses Provision (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130, 131, 134 and 135 together. The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) is an independent statutory body and is responsible for defining and ensuring the standards of education and training for pharmacists qualifying in Ireland. This includes developing standards, policies and carrying out accreditation of pharmacy degree programmes. The changes in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department has not transferred ownership of any buildings to the various bodies mentioned in the years referred to by the Deputy. My Department provides funding for school building projects to be constructed on lands owned by religious orders and other non-state bodies (e.g. diocesan trusts) to facilitate existing schools in the context of the school building programme and such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: This Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, 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 educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (18 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is not in receipt of an application under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, the appropriate scheme in this instance, from the school referred to in respect of its accommodation needs. It is open to any school to submit an application to my Department if they have identified a deficit of classroom accommodation to meet...

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The position in respect of any purchase, and it is true of the purchase in Harold's Cross, is that it is based on an independent valuation in order that the State is getting value for money. Since the recovery in land values, we have to pay more for land for schools and, as I indicated to the Deputy yesterday at the joint committee meeting, that has increased in each of the past few years...

Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: As it happens, I absolutely share the concerns of both Deputies from the south east about the need to progress the legislation, but I have to make sure that when we come back to the Dáil, we will be in a position to proceed. My officials have had discussions with the Teachers Union of Ireland. That was one of the particular issues that needed to be dealt with. An agreement has been...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Closures (17 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Senator for raising the matter of Muine Bheag vocational school. It is important to clarify the position. The Education Act sets out the framework within which any school considering closure has to operate. The Act provides for the right of schools to manage their own affairs in accordance with its provisions and any charters, deeds, articles of management or other such...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Closures (17 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: The task force is now in place under the ETB. It will engage with parents, teachers and everyone else. The key to the school's long term success is its capacity to attract students. That is vital. It has set targets in terms of the student numbers it needs to attract. That matter is being vigorously pursued. I am very optimistic because there is a pathway to deal with this and everyone...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 May 2017)

Richard Bruton: ASD Early intervention classes are available for children aged 3-5 with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Early intervention classes are intended to provide early support for children with ASD before they start school. Following early intervention children will attend a mainstream class unless there is professional guidance that they require a special class or a placement in a...