Results 15,341-15,360 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Disputes (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I understand the Deputy's frustration. However, one must go back to how collective agreements are put together. It is the norm in industrial relations practice in the public service that the decision of the trade union recognised as holding representative rights for a particular grade or sector will determine the position for all relevant staff in that grade or sector. This context does...

Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Disputes (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: People join trade unions to negotiate collective agreements. In this instance, a union, the TUI, entered into negotiations with the Government and reached an agreement. As a result, benefits have followed. Another union chose not to enter into such negotiations and withdrew from various commitments. It does not have the benefit of the collective agreements. Those who have not made a...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I thank the Deputy for the considered way in which she raised this complex issue. We must deal sensitively with the genuine worries of parents about how their children's needs will be catered for in the education system. My Department employs approximately 12,500 resource and learning support teachers who are allocated annually to mainstream schools. This is a significant investment,...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that there will be no sense in which the value of expert assistance or referrals will be downgraded. These factors will continue to be valued in the assessment. However, we will remove the requirement to have a diagnosis carried out to identify that a child has an educational need and in calculating what that need will be. We will ensure each child is supported. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to develop an LGBT Youth Strategy. Work on this commitment will be progressed by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, and my Department will actively contribute to the work as it progresses. In that context, I expect that discussion on LGBT issues in the school curriculum will take place. In the meantime, the current SPHE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: A project to provide a new school building is proposed for the school to which the Deputy refers. It was intended to locate the new building on HSE lands where the school is currently accommodated. This location was originally selected some years ago and was deemed to be suitable following a comprehensive assessment. Officials in my Department have since worked with officials in the HSE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provided a purpose built building for the school in question in 2008. My Department, therefore, has no plans to extend this building. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools, in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. In this regard, my Department is aware that there is existing capacity in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff Appeals Mechanism (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2016/2017 school year is set out in the Staffing Schedule (Circular 0007/2016) which is available on the Department website. 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 30 September 2015. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy maybe aware, the building project for the new post primary school to serve Carpenterstown/Castleknock is included in the 6 year construction programme that was announced last November. Officials in my Department  are liaising with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Staff (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides an educational psychological service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are in the NEPS section of my Department's website. Under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department's Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme provides schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. My Department’s Circular 0030/2014 sets out that catheterisation is considered a primary care need (toileting) which warrants Special Need Assistant (SNA) support where a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (22 Nov 2016)

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: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including SNA support. The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in my Department's Circular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff Appeals Mechanism (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2016/2017 school year is set out in the Staffing Schedule (Circular 0007/2016) which is available on the Department website. 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 30 September 2015. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scéim na nOibreacha Éigeandála (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: Rinne an scoil a bhfuil an Teachta ag tagairt di iarratas ar mhaoiniú do Dheontas Oibreacha Éigeandála le haghaidh oibreacha scartála agus atógála. Diúltaíodh don iarratas toisc go bhfuil raon na n-oibreacha lasmuigh de théarmaí agus coinníollacha na Scéime Deontais Oibreacha Éigeandála. Rinne an scoil achomharc ar an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating special educational needs supports to schools. The NCSE allocates support in accordance with the criteria set out by my Department. The NCSE has informed my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202, 212, 214, 220 and 231 together. As the Deputies will be aware, the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills, is to consider the complex issues raised by the Labour Party's proposed amendment to section 7(3)(c) of the Equal Status Act as set out in their Private Members Bill. I have included a specific action in the Action Plan for Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203, 213, 215, 219 and 232 together. Article 44 of the Constitution and Section 30 of the Education Act 1998, provides that parents have a right to have their children opt out of religion classes if they so wish. The manner in which any school ensures that the right to opt out of religion classes is upheld is a matter for the school concerned. Each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Teaching Council is, since 2006, the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the registration of teachers in this State. A person who has a query about their application for registration as a teacher in this State must therefore raise the matter with the Teaching Council.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Applications (22 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: On 17 November 2016, I announced the Minor Works Grant 2016/2017, totalling €28.5 million. Payment will issue to primary schools in the coming weeks, including to the school in question.