Results 14,741-14,760 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Questions on Promised Legislation (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I am not going to comment on any specific legal case. Clearly, it is Government's intention that further cases will be vigorously defended. We have legal officers who will support the work on such cases. As Deputy Chambers has said, this is a major potential cost and it is right that we seek to protect the taxpayer in that respect.

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: As I indicated to Deputy Lisa Chambers, this problem requires a short, medium and long-term solution. The Minister has introduced a strategy that is barely six months old and it is already having an impact. The first step was to increase emergency accommodation. There are 250 extra beds and 2,000 emergency beds in Dublin. We have had to step up the provision for emergency accommodation...

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Deputy Boyd Barrett wants to cling to some ideological position about how we should solve the housing crisis. It will not be solved by 100% social building. That will not happen. Getting the 47,000 units will take time.

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Let us be absolutely honest.

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: We need mixed housing and on those sites there will be social homes with a differential or traditional local authority rent and those with affordable rent of 70% of commercial market rate. That is designed to be affordable for families and not just those on housing lists. It will apply to another tranche of many families who are finding it increasingly difficult to get housing. The...

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy McDonald for the question.

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The first thing is that Ireland's priority in dealing with any Government, whether newly elected or otherwise, is to ensure we serve the interests of Irish citizens. We have had long trading, political and social connections with the United States and they continue to be really important to us in terms of employment, social connection and the political handling of issues such as the one the...

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy the Government will take every opportunity to present that case. The Minister, Deputy Flanagan, will be in Washington at the end of the month. The ambassador, Anne Anderson, has already convened a stakeholder meeting in respect of the concerns that Ireland has in respect of Irish immigrants. The President has extended an invitation to the Taoiseach and the Vice...

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, to which the Government is giving intense priority and in respect of which we have devised solutions for the short, medium and long term. In terms of social housing, we made an unprecedented commitment to the delivery of 47,000 new homes. These are to be constructed through various agencies. That is a massive commitment to social...

Leaders' Questions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: There has been a significant increase in the level of activity under all social programmes. The number of people who will be accommodated under those programmes in the coming year is 21,000, an increase from 14,000 two years ago. There is an intensification of efforts in this regard and it is delivering in terms of supply. The concept of extending the homeless HAP scheme beyond the current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Certificate and Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of Tender Documents. All Statutory Approvals have been applied for and are currently awaiting approval. When secured, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The total number of first year enrolments on the undergraduate degree medicine courses in higher education institutions in Ireland since the 2010/2011 academic year is contained in the following table. I have also included data on first year enrolments to the graduate entry to medicine programmes, which are undergraduate medical courses specifically designed for graduate students. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The details sought by the Deputy are not readily available in my Department. Officials of my Department have requested the Higher Education Authority to seek to collate the information and I will arrange for it to be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme. To qualify for grant support, a student has to meet various criteria such as means, residency, nationality and progression. The nationality requirements for the student grant scheme are set out in section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2016. To qualify...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Junior Cycle Reform (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: A phased implementation of the new Junior Cycle Programme commenced in schools in September 2014. One subject was introduced in 2014 - English. Two further subjects commenced in September 2016 - Business Studies and Science. The 'Framework for Junior Cycle 2015', published by my Department in August 2015, sets out the key changes under the new programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Junior Cycle Reform (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: Teachers of English who are members of ASTI have been directed by their union that, while they are to teach the new Junior Cycle subject specification, they are not to undertake Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs) with their students. CBAs form a key element of the new Junior Cycle. Therefore, students who are taught by a teacher who is a member of the ASTI will not receive a grade for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Department recently met with representatives of the school referred to by the Deputy and it was agreed that a further meeting would be convened within the coming weeks.  It was agreed also that this would allow adequate time for updated demographic data, taking into account overall current and projected pupil numbers in the Kilcock area, and the enrolment position in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (26 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The Teaching Council is the statutory body with responsibility for professional standards at all stages of the teaching career. It has established standards for post-qualification professional practice, as set out in Droichead, the new model of induction and probation for newly qualified primary and post-primary teachers.  The Droichead programme was the subject of a three-year...

Seanad: Junior Cycle Reform: Motion (25 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senator Martin Conway for tabling the motion and all the Senators who contributed. This has been a valuable debate. Perhaps we do not step back often enough to think about the value and way in which we teach subjects that are important to us. There is no doubt that history is of major importance. It is formative in terms of the skills it delivers, the appreciation of the passage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Jan 2017)

Richard Bruton: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently awaiting the appointment of a Design Team. This process of appointment is expected to commence this week. My Department's officials will be in contact directly with the Board of Management regarding the next steps in the process. This project was included in the six year programme announced in...