Results 16,721-16,740 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: I understand that in respect of the cases that have arisen, the State has offered an ex gratiapayment to those who suffered in this way. This payment is available to people and, as the Deputy recognised, many people have accepted it, which has allowed them to get some satisfaction without pursuing a lengthy, costly and difficult court case. If people choose to pursue a continued case in the...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: I assure the Deputy that the relevant Ministers have been directly involved in these meetings and are not dealing with this matter on a hands-off basis. Their priority is to ensure the continued delivery of these services. There is no Member of this House who has not been touched by some family that has suffered as a result of suicide, which has a dramatic impact on everyone around it. The...

Leaders' Questions (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: I share Deputy Michael McGrath's concern that there would be an impact on many people who are in a vulnerable position. Our primary objective now must be to protect the valuable services which have been delivered with great commitment by people in Console. This has come as a huge shock to those working within the sector as well as those supporting it. The way this matter came to light...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: I thank Senator O'Donnell for raising the matter of these two schools. He has outlined a great deal of the relevant information himself. A demographic assessment was published in 2015 and at that stage nine new schools were announced to be opened in 2017 and 2018, including two in Limerick. One was announced for 2017 for Limerick city and its south-west area at Mungret and the other for...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: Whatever was placed in the patronage advertisement, including as to the planning area, will have to be complied with. Patrons will have used that area in good faith to identify parents who would support them. I do not have the exact geographic areas, but they are centred on Mungret and Castletroy. There is no way a parent living closer to the school is given a greater priority than a...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: I will provide the Senator with the exact mapping as to the area within which the patronage is assessed. The issue of when the schools will open is not one on which I can give an exact date as it depends on site acquisition, design and snags in site specification. That work will proceed. There is a staged approval process whereby the Department satisfies itself at each stage that its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: When the moratorium on the filling of posts of responsibility was introduced in 2009, the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools. These posts continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium was therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties posts of responsibility. There are limited...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: 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 individualised education programmes which may draw from a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: The correspondence to which the Deputy refers relates to school admissions and religious instruction in schools. I can advise the Deputy that a reply to the correspondent is currently being prepared. The position in relation to school admissions is that parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that my Department considered an application for additional accommodation from the school referred to by the Deputy. My Department advised the school that due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Entry Requirements (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) scheme is a third-level admissions scheme operated by a number of higher education institutions which offers places on reduced points and extra college support to school leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is a third-level admissions scheme for students with a disability which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Corporate Governance (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department's oversight of corporate governance for agencies is informed by the stipulations of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reforms Code of Practice for State Agencies. Additionally the Standards in Public Office Commission operates a supervisory role under the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995, as amended by the Standards in Public Office Act 2001, to underpin oversight of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for a Partnership Government includes an undertaking to further accelerate the Digital and ICT agenda in schools by including a coding course for the Junior Cycle and introducing ICT/Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject. The Programme for Government commits to a range of new subjects, and this is something I will be keen to expand on over the coming years. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Globalisation Fund (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware it is difficult to accurately forecast final expenditure on EGF programmes as public beneficiary bodies generally fund the cost of EGF measures from national budgets and subsequently submit expenditure declarations/claims during and more often following completion of the programmes. The average expenditure across the 7 previous Irish EGF programmes was 60% of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy will be aware, funding is prioritised under my Department's 6 year school capital investment programme towards the delivery of major school projects to provide the essential mainstream school accommodation needed to meet demographic demands. Whilst the works referred to are eligible to be considered for funding under the Summer Works Scheme, a specific funding allocation for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: UK Referendum on EU Membership (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Government has a Contingency Framework in place which maps the key issues that will be most important to Ireland in the coming weeks and months. My Department participated fully in and contributed to the preparation of that Framework for the education sector. The Government has published a summary of the key actions that will be taken to address the contingencies arising from the UK's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Consultancy Contracts (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: Details of all consultancy payments made by the Department for the years 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 are available on my Department's website . Information in relation to consultancy expenditure is compiled annually in respect of the previous year. Details for the year 2016 will not be available until Quarter 1, 2017.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: The following tabular statement contains details of photography costs incurred at my Department since I came to office. My Department adheres to appropriate procurement guidelines when engaging the use of photography services. Occasion Photographer Cost Breakdown Total Cost Net Vat Gross 10 June 2016 - Photography for awards to recipients under the Non-mainstream Music Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Relations Contracts Data (7 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: In relation to my Department's policy for the engagement of external expertise, such engagement is considered where the issues involved require expert skills or capabilities that are not available within the Department. Any such engagement is done in accordance with the provisions of the Department of Finance "Guidelines for the Engagement of Consultants and other External Support by the...

Topical Issue Debate: Schools Site Acquisitions (6 Jul 2016)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy McGrath for raising the matter. I share his enthusiasm for the development of this school under Dr. Alan Sheehan. There is no doubt it is a very popular school. It opened in 2013 and is in temporary accommodation. The last Minister for Education and Skills included it in the current six-year construction plan announced in November 2015. It was designated to go to...