Results 16,381-16,400 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Lansdowne Road Agreement (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: Department Circular 0045/2016 sets out the arrangements for the application of the Lansdowne Road Agreement in respect of post-primary teachers. The Lansdowne Road Agreement as set out in Section 2 of the Circular applies to teachers employed in Education and Training Board schools and centres, apart from Designated Community Colleges. The LRA also applies to teachers in Designated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The normal practice is for the Minor Works Grant to be announced late in the year if funding permits. The issue of the Minor Works Grant 2016/2017 will be considered in the context of my Department's overall capital position later this year. Under my Department's Circular Letter 0062/2013 the rate of payment of the Minor Works Grant is a basic grant of €5,500 to all primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology services 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 on the Department's website. Under this scheme schools can have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: Under Departmental circular 12/96 at primary school level the authority to grant exemptions from the study of Irish has been delegated to school management. As decisions on Irish exemptions are taken at school level my Department is not aware of a backlog in respect of the processing of these applications. In general as it would be expected that the school is familiar with the student's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Digital Strategy for Schools (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The new Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 (Enhancing Teaching, Learning & Assessment), launched in October 2015, sets out a clear vision for the role of ICT in teaching, learning and assessment in primary and post primary schools. The Strategy is focused on realising the potential of digital technologies to transform the learning experiences of students by helping them become...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's 6-year Construction Programme. My Department is currently exploring potential options in relation to the identification of a suitable permanent site for the school. My Department has been in contact with the school and will continue to liaise with them in that regard.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: A consolidated set of comprehensive information in regard to board appointments on the 18 non commercial agencies under the aegis of my Department is available on our website at . The information is current to end August and is updated regularly by the Department. The Deputy's queries are encompassed within this set of information. The Deputy should note that while Board appointments are made...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Costs of Education (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Government has just launched the first Action Plan for Education aimed at making the Irish education and training service the best in Europe by 2026. This plan, which incorporates my Department's Strategy Statement as well as the Action Plan for Education outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented across 2016-2019. Some of the actions as part of the plan are to strengthen the focus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2017 (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government commits the Government to working with the Oireachtas to increase expenditure on public services in order to meet the rising costs of demographics and to make targeted improvements in public services, including education, having regard to economic growth forecasts and adherence to fiscal rules. The context in which budgetary decisions for 2017 will be made...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: Two subject developments for Physical Education (PE) are now being finalised: 1) A Senior Cycle Framework for PE - non-examinable. 2) Leaving Certificate PE - an examinable subject for Leaving Certificate. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) intends to have a complete Senior Cycle Physical Education Framework specification in the examinable subject by Q4 2016. Once the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department for additional accommodation. A decision will be conveyed to the school as soon as the application has been assessed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Data (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: It is desirable that parents and the public in general have information about schools that is meaningful, fair and fully rounded. Data on school retention and progression to further education in respect of individual schools or local areas are not provided by my Department as these could be used to create statistical comparisons that take account of only one dimension of school performance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department's approach to reducing school costs for parents is set out in the Action Plan for Education that has just been published. This plan, which incorporates my Department's Strategy Statement as well as the Action Plan for Education outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented across 2016-2019. Some of the actions as part of the plan are to strengthen the focus on reducing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks Rental Scheme (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department provides funding to schools to support the operation of school book rental schemes. The most recent figures available at primary level indicate that 95% of primary schools operate a book rental scheme. The most recent figures available at second level indicate that 65% of second level schools operate book rental schemes. The table following gives a breakdown of funding provided...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks Rental Scheme (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department provides funding to schools to support the operation of school book rental schemes. The most recent figures available at primary level indicate that 95% of primary schools operate a book rental scheme. The most recent figures available at second level indicate that 65% of second level schools operate book rental schemes. The following table provides a breakdown of the number...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The information sought by the Deputy is provided in the following table. CAPITAL EXPENDITURE JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2015 and JANUARY TO 31st AUGUST 2016 (identified under specific headings) SUB-PROGRAMMES 2015 2016 TOTAL Jan - Aug (€m) (€m) LARGE SCALE PROJECTS 302.526 202.453 SITE PURCHASES 12.956 24.373 ADDITIONAL ACCOMMODATION 80.978 40.179 PREFAB REPLACEMENT SCHEME...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: Under my Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme. The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2016. Section 7 further defines the matters that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Expenditure (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers (SENOs), for fulfilling the functions of the Council within a designated area in relation to the identification of and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with disabilities. The Council employs SENOs to provide a nationwide system of local services....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policy Reviews (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: I have recently received the final report of the STEM Education Review Group. I intend to submit the report to Government shortly and it will then be published. I also intend to then refer the report to the relevant Oireachtas Committee and request that the recommendations contained in the report be reviewed in line with the commitment given in the Programme for Government.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Access to Higher Education (16 Sep 2016)

Richard Bruton: The review on barriers to higher education for lone parents is currently being finalised. The review is expected to be completed in Q.3 2016. The issue of publication date will be considered after the completed review has been made available to my Department.