Results 14,641-14,660 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Professional Development (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that on 18 January last, I announced that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post primary schools will be introduced from September 2017. I also announced that an additional 900 teaching posts will be provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model. This substantial additional provision will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Brexit Issues (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department held an Education Stakeholder Forum on Brexit on 14 November 2016 to outline plans for the Department’s ongoing engagement with the sector in its preparations for the Brexit negotiation phase. Following this plenary event my Department convened consultation fora for the schools sector, the further education and training sector and the higher education and research...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The roll-out of the new Leaving Certificate subject of Politics and Society commenced in 41 schools from September 2016, following an open invitation to introduce this as an optional Leaving Certificate subject. Politics and Society aims to develop the student's ability to be a reflective and active citizen, in a way that is informed by the insights and skills of social and political...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I held a meeting with key stakeholders in relation to the Foreign Languages Strategy in December. This has informed my thinking on this matter. I am at present finalising the Strategy document. It will be presented to Government before it is published. I expect that this process will be completed by the end of March.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Funding (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department does not have responsibility for INTERREG funding and therefore does not have the information requested. The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) in Northern Ireland manages the programme. My officials have asked the SEUPB for the relevant information, which will be forwarded to the Deputy soon as it is received.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Funding (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: No EU funds have been provided to my Department for the purposes of cross border education projects over the past five years. My Department, however, supports some 10 cross-border co-operation and exchange projects managed by parties external to the Department. Total expenditure by this Department in supporting North/South programmes in 2016 amounted to €581,616. The categories and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts Data (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. I will have a list of the procurement contracts over each of the past five years over a value of or equivalent to €25,000 that have been awarded by my department to companies known to be based in Northern Ireland or Britain compiled and forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The attention of my Department has been brought to reported shortages in certain subject areas, such as Home Economics. However, comprehensive data on teacher supply and demand in specific subject areas is not available to my Department. The Deputy is aware that the Teaching Council has provided its advice and report to my Department on the matter of teacher supply. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Insurance Coverage (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department has not issued any directive in relation to insurance providers to schools. In general, the arrangements for insurance for schools are a matter for their associated Patrons or Trustees/Trustee Bodies. The Schools Procurement Unit (SPU) was established in 2014 as the central support resource for providing advice and guidance to all primary and post-primary schools on any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I would inform the Deputy that officials in my Department are currently compiling the data requested in her question and I will arrange to have it forwarded to her without delay.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware that on 18 January last, I announced that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post primary schools will be introduced from September 2017. I also announced that an additional 900 teaching posts will be provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model. This substantial additional provision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Education (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: My Department provided funding of €27,495 to Marketing English in Ireland, a representative body from the English Language Training sector, last year to employ a student officer to assist them with their promotion efforts. In October 2016, I launched Irish Educated, Globally Connected An International Education Strategy for Ireland, 2016-2020. Additional funding of €1.5...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Communications (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Non-sensitive official information has been sent to my personal email address on occasion in the past. Material was usually sent to my personal email where I was not accompanied by a member of staff, and where there was an urgent need to communicate information to me, often in advance of media appearances. The use of a personal email address is no longer necessary as a private Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commencement of Legislation (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: The information that the Deputy has requested is set out in tabular as follows. Act Sections yet to be commenced Details Teaching Council Act 2001 Sections 39 This section relates to the continuing education, training and professional development of teachers. In relation to commencement, regard will be had to the development by the Teaching Council of Cosán, the national framework for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Supervision and Substitution Scheme (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Supervision and substitution duties are core duties for all teachers since the Haddington Road Agreement. A limited group of teachers were allowed to opt-out of the duties in return for a pay reduction. Department Circular 0006/2014 states that with effect from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, participation in the Supervision and Substitution scheme will be compulsory for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (2 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Community and comprehensive schools are not required to appoint an external person or body to audit, verify or assess school furniture and equipment for stock taking purposes.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Legislative Process (1 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senator Richmond for raising this issue. This is an important issue and it has been considerably debated. As the Senator will be aware, the Labour Party's Bill was introduced last year, involving a deadline of 12 months which is coming up in June of this year, where one particular proposal was outlined by the Labour Party. It was agreed by the Dáil that we would have parallel...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Legislative Process (1 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: Just to clarify, the Labour Party Bill has passed Second Stage but on the basis that its further passage will occur in June of this year, giving the time to the Oireachtas committee on education to evaluate the potential issues with it in the meantime. The committee is currently in the process of evaluating that Bill. Clearly it is appropriate that my Department and the stakeholders that...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Legislative Process (1 Feb 2017)

Richard Bruton: I will indeed and I will revert to the Senator on the matter.