Results 15,261-15,280 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Letter of Acceptance for the preferred Tenderer for the project in question is expected to issue this week.  I understand that all outstanding issues for the project have been resolved to enable this.  My Department now expects that the project will commence on site early in the New Year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Department of Education and Skills currently provides more than €400m in student supports to assist some 80,000 disadvantaged students to participate in higher education.  Currently for the 2016/17 academic year students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible to have their post graduate tuition fees paid...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180, 222 and 223 together. In response to the Deputy’s questions, all major school projects which were on the Construction Programmes announced by the previous Ministers and have not reached tender and construction stage will continue to be progressed through the architectural and design stages and remain to be considered for progression to tender...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: In response to the Deputy’s question, all major school projects which were on the Construction Programmes announced by the previous Ministers and have not reached tender and construction stage will continue to be progressed through the architectural and design stages and remain to be considered for progression to tender and construction stages over the course of 2017. It is my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the table. Number of staff from the Department of Education and Skills currently seconded to other departments or agencies in the Civil Service per annum from 2010 to date in 2016. Year Number 2010 30* 2011 2 2012 4 2013 5 2014 1 2015 9 2016 2*This figure includes 27 Civil Servants who were seconded to FÁS.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 to 185, inclusive, together. During the period in question mentioned by the Deputy no officials at my Department have taken up employment in the private sector on a secondment basis.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education, published in July, identifies income-contingent loans as being one of the possible options for the future funding of the higher education sector. Other options include a predominantly State-funded system or a State-funded system supplemented with continuing student fees. As committed to in the Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Unions (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, Universities and Institutes of Technologies are autonomous institutions and my Department does not have any function in relation to their day to day operational affairs, for which the Governing Bodies and the management staff of the institutions are responsible. My understanding is that Student Unions are separate entities from the Higher Education Institutions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 196 and 208 together. The Government has  published a contingency framework which maps the key issues that will be most important to Ireland arising from the UK's decision to leave the EU. It contains the key actions that will be taken to address the contingencies.  My Department participated fully in and contributed to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelcholáistí Issues (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The new schools which will open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic demand nationwide were announced in November 2015. At that time it was stated that a Gaelcholáiste to serve the North Kildare area will open in 2019, subject to sufficient viability of the Irish-medium Aonad, which is currently part of Maynooth Community College. The Gaelcholáiste will operate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The statistic referred to by the Deputy is based on information obtained from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) report “Adapting to Diversity: Irish Schools and Newcomer Students”.  This report was published in 2009 and looked at a broad range of issues in relation to the integration of newcomer pupils in schools. An element of the overall research...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: In relation to school admissions, it is the Department's responsibility to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 193 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: School Curriculum (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector recommended in its report that programmes in Education about Religion and Beliefs (ERB) and Ethics be developed. The NCCA was asked to explore the development of such programmes. The NCCA produced a Consultation Paper in 2015 outlining the proposed rationale, vision, aims and features of a curriculum in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: Human capital is a critical factor in reaping economic and social rewards from investment in research. In this regard, a comprehensive framework for researcher careers brings clarity and certainty to the career structure and provides researchers with developmental opportunities to enhance their skills and employability, within academia, within the enterprise sector and also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Brexit Issues (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: Both I and the Secretary of State for Education in the UK have corresponded on the likely Brexit impacts on our respective education systems in terms of a range of areas affecting students, academics, research and others. It is our intention to meet to explore these issues further on a mutually suitable date. I had a bi-lateral meeting with the Northern Ireland Minister for Education,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Equality Issues (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: As you may be aware, a process to review the DEIS Programme which began last year is nearing completion and it is my intention to publish a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion in the coming weeks. The review process, is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the range and impact of different elements of the School Support Programme, the potential for innovation within and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools Scheme (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a process to review the DEIS Programme which began last year is nearing completion and it is my intention to publish a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion in the coming weeks. Included in the review process is the development of a new assessment framework using centrally held CSO and DES data for the identification of schools for inclusion in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Capital funding provided in the primary, post primary and third level sectors to County Louth in the years 2014 to 2016 is attached. Details of all school capital works that have been funded by my Department, including in the area referred to by the Deputy, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this is updated regularly.  Capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 201 and 204 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving applications for funding projects from Louth and Meath County Councils.