Results 13,521-13,540 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, the school in question is not a DEIS school but was established on 1st September 2011 following the amalgamation of three local post primary schools in the area, two of which were DEIS schools. Where amalgamations take place, comprising DEIS and Non-DEIS schools, DEIS status is not transferred to the newly amalgamated school. Notwithstanding this fact, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Drugs Strategy (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that officials from my Department have been members of the Steering Committee tasked with developing a new National Drugs Strategy.  The Steering Committee, which has an independent chair, is made up of officials from various Government Departments, offices and state agencies, An Garda Síochána, representatives of the Regional and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: Following the launch of the DEIS Plan 2017, I made it clear that schools currently participating in the DEIS programme would continue to receive the same level of supports under the School Support Programme for the 2017/18 school year. This includes no change to the current situation regarding posts allocated under previous educational disadvantage schemes in DEIS schools, including those in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: Human capital is a critical factor in reaping economic and social rewards from investment in research. Innovation 2020, Ireland’s strategy for Research and Development, Science and Technology proposes the development of career pathways for researchers to help them maximise their potential and, as a consequence, help to maximise the return on Ireland’s investment in innovation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Administration (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: The new identification process developed under DEIS Plan 2017 for the assessment of schools uses centrally held data supplied by schools to my Department's Primary and Post Primary Online Databases and CSO Small Area of Population statistics from the National Census of Population 2011 as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation Index. Variables used in the compilation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application for capital funding from the school in question in late 2016 to provide a learning support / resource area as well as additional ancillary accommodation.  As the Deputy will be aware, my Department’s current priority has to be focused on the provision of essential classroom accommodation and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Multidenominational Schools (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Community National School is a new model of multi-denominational school which is not that well-known among the public. However, I believe it has a bright future ahead of it and a major role to play in providing choice to parents in the future. Community National Schools are multi-denominational and they provide for belief nurturing during the school day.  The aim of the model has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: New anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools were published at the beginning of the 2013/14 school year.  The procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour amongst its pupils. All Boards of Management are required to adopt and implement an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Modern Language Teaching (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: Reform of the Primary School Curriculum has already commenced. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has developed a new Integrated Primary Language Curriculum, for English and Irish. Schools have started implementation, on a phased basis, in junior infants to second classes in September 2016, supported by my Department's Professional Development...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware the project in respect of the education campus in Buncrana was announced as part of the Six Year Capital Programme.  Officials in this Department have been liaising with officials in Donegal County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites with regard to the procurement of a suitable site for the campus.  A...

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

Richard Bruton: My Department's policy, in accordance with Section 2 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, 2004, is to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs, including Autism, in mainstream school settings, unless such a placement would not be in the best interests of the child concerned, or the children with whom they will be educated. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Preschool Services (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware, from previous questions and correspondence concerning the specific preschool to which the Deputy refers, that the prior approval of the Minister should have been sought, for the preschool, in order that the overall needs of the school could be accommodated.   There is no provision contained in this year’s budget for additional capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department has put in place an Occupational Health Strategy as a supportive resource for teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs), to promote their health in the workplace, with a focus primarily on prevention rather than cure. The Occupational Health Strategy comprises of the Employee Assistance and Well-being Programme and Occupational Health Services.  These services cater for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: Funding for special education provision in 2017 will amount to some €1.68 billion, which is equivalent to approximately 19% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training and represents an increase in spending in this area of 12% over the last two years. This year, 13,015 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are available for allocation to primary and post primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: I welcome the recent publication of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General Cost of Child Abuse Inquiry and Redress. The report provides an important summary of the current position in relation to the various initiatives taken by successive governments in support of persons who were abused when as children they resided in institutions and it sets out the position in regard to how...

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

Richard Bruton: The proposed new school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of the tender process with tenders due to be returned by 5pm on 12 April 2017. The project is not being delayed. Subject to no issues arising in the tender process it is envisaged that the project should commence construction before the end of this summer. Appropriate interim accommodation will continue to be provided...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: The decision to use tablet devices is a matter for the Board of Management of each school. Where the introduction of new technology is planned, there should be consultation with members of the school community including parents. Guidance is available to schools on planning for the introduction of new technology for teaching and learning. An advice sheet on the adoption of tablets in schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Guidance Counsellors (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: The measures announced by my Department as part of Budget 2016 and 2017 mean that 400 guidance posts, or two thirds of the Guidance allocation that was withdrawn in Budget 2012, will be restored to schools from September 2017. It has been made clear that all these 400 posts are allocated separately and transparently, and outside of the quota on the normal schedule of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Brexit Issues (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: Last week saw the formal start of the UK’s exit from the EU. I welcome the clarity that the UK Prime Minister's announcement brought. Adopting a proactive approach from the start, the Irish Government has been comprehensively preparing for this very eventuality. The contingency framework that the Government put in place maps the key issues that will be most important to Ireland in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Care and Education Standards (5 Apr 2017)

Richard Bruton: There is extremely close cooperation between my Department and the NCCA and the DCYA in relation to these matters. The development of curriculums for both primary school and for early years education settings is the remit of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.  NCCA is currently consulting on the structure of the primary curriculum and how it may be more...