Results 15,541-15,560 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: It is my intention to publish a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion before the end of this year. A process to review of the DEIS Programme which began last year is now nearing completion.  The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the range and impact of different elements of the DEIS School Support Programme, the potential for innovation within and between schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department has committed to enriching teaching and learning with new curricula, in the Action Plan for Education 2016-2019. This will contribute to delivering a “Step-Change” in the development of critical skills, knowledge and competences and providing the foundations for participation in work and society. The roll-out of the new Leaving Certificate subject of Politics...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: It is my intention to publish a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion before the end of this year. A process to review of the DEIS Programme which began last year is now nearing completion.  The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the range and impact of different elements of the DEIS School Support Programme, the potential for innovation within and between schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Professional Development (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department will spend approximately €46m on teacher continuing professional development (CPD) in 2016 across the primary and post primary sectors. The teacher CPD budget represents 0.74% of my Departments overall budget for first and second level - almost 7% if salary and pension costs are excluded from the Department's budget. The spend of €46m includes a) salary costs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: Budget 2016 provided for a one point improvement to the staffing allocation to primary schools, which has been implemented for the current school year.  The staffing schedule operates on a general average of 27 pupils to every 1 teacher (27:1) for the current school year. The ratio of 27:1 is an overall classroom teacher allocation ratio for the school and is not a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: From 2013 to 2016, ten new schools have opened under the patronage divesting process.  Details, including the location, of the two schools which opened in September 2016 are set out in the following table. I consider the establishment of these ten schools as an initial but important step in giving parents confidence of the Department’s intent about providing a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Postgraduate Enrolments (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy will be aware of the Programme for Government commitment to increase financial supports for post graduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households. In response to this commitment, I secured additional funding of €4million in Budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from September 2017, for the most disadvantaged...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: As a consequence of the financial crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country's public finances. These included pay reductions and also reductions to the pay of new entrant public servants, including teachers, since 2011. Collective agreements reached between the Government and the public service unions provided vital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Government is committed to ensuring that all children with special educational needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post-primary school network.  The policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Sign Language (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: A new short course in Irish Sign Language (ISL) was developed by the Post-Primary Languages Initiative in the context of the new Framework for Junior Cycle. The course is currently being piloted in the Mid-West School for the Hearing Impaired in Limerick. Following this, the course will be ready to be implemented by schools opting to introduce ISL. Short courses were introduced into the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Expenditure (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The delivery of school projects so that all schools in an area can between them cater for all students seeking a school place is the main focus of my Department capital budget. To this end, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses a range of data sources in carrying out nationwide demographic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: Budget 2017 provides for the commencement of the restoration of middle management posts to lift the rigidity of the longstanding moratorium on these posts in both the primary and post-primary sector. A Department circular will issue in early January in relation to these new arrangements. Strengthening leadership is schools is a serious issue and this announcement will provide...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, the new Programme for Government outlines that this new Government will continue to support the creation of Technological Universities. This is in line with the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which provides a framework for the development of the higher education sector to 2030.  With regard to the institute of technology sector, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Data (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I am taking it that the Deputy is referring to the combined numbers of Leaving Certificate Mathematics candidates at all three levels (Higher, Ordinary, and Foundation) who were awarded E grades, F grades or no grade in the 2016 examination. The designation of any performance in the certificate examinations as a' fail' ceased in 1968. The nature of curricular examinations such as the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: In line with the overall mission of higher education in Ireland there has been a steady increase in student enrolments over recent years.  The most recent report by the HEA on retention and progression, entitled 'A Study of Progression in Higher Education 2012/13 TO 2013/14', is available on the HEA website, www.hea.ie.  This is the fourth in a series of progression analysis...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Data (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: Since 2007 data on the socio-economic group (SEG) background of entrants to higher education is collected annually by the HEA via the "Equal Access Survey". This is a voluntary survey which collects information on the social and economic background of new students who enter higher education for the first time.  The survey is administered by  each higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which is an independent agency, is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers for determining the appropriate staffing levels in Special schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's policy in allocating this support. Circular 0042/2011 provides information to schools regarding the staffing arrangements which apply in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Report of the Chair of the Expert Group on Fixed Term and Part-Time issues in Lecturing in Ireland was published in July 2016 and the Report contains a number of recommendations that will assist in addressing concerns raised about the level of part-time and fixed-term employment in lecturing in the third level sector. My Department issued directions to the sector to implement the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I am aware of the report referred to by the Deputy. I strongly support any measures that can be put in place to reduce costs for parents.   All schools must be sensitive to the financial pressures on parents in making decisions, not just about school uniforms or books, but about any matter that has cost implications for parents.  The Action Plan for Education outlines hundreds of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (15 Nov 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a Category 10 application for external environment works, under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) (2016-2017) from the school to which he refers. Valid SWS (2016-2017) applications from schools in respect of Categories 3 to 10 that were not reached under round one approvals announced on 28th April last, will, subject to the...