Results 16,881-16,900 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Junior Cycle Reform (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Implementation of the new framework for Junior Cycle is proceeding. Members of the TUI are fully co-operating with the implementation. The teachers involved are benefiting from extensive continuing professional development and are availing of professional time to support the implementation. The ASTI continue to operate a directive of non-cooperation with the framework. The effect of this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Skills Shortages (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The National Skills Bulletin is produced by the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit (SLMRU) in SOLAS on behalf of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) and highlights a number of areas where there are skills shortages. The scale of these shortages varies and there can be a variety of reasons that impact on the ability of employers to recruit. The work of the SLMRU provides...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Care Services Provision (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: In accordance with key commitments in the Programme for a Partnership Government (May 2016) in relation to encouraging the use of school buildings outside school hours which the Government has committed to delivering progress on within the first 100 days, my Department is working closely with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in considering how to facilitate schools who wish to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Care Services Provision (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: An interdepartmental working group has been established with officials from my Department and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to progress the key commitments in the Programme for a Partnership Government (May 2016), in order to improve the range and quality of options for Parents for afterschool care for school-age children. My department has undertaken to consider how to...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 87 together. As the Deputy is aware, the review of the DEIS programme is currently underway and it is my intention that a New Action Plan Educational Inclusion will be published by the end of this year. The current DEIS Action Plan, was published in 2005 and currently provides support to 836 schools serving a total of 169,500 pupils. The DEIS...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for a Partnership Government recognises the need to focus on the future needs, abilities and capacity of students. The Government is committed to enhancing the availability of technology in schools through the introduction of ICT/Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has been asked to consider options in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (29 Jun 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: Teachers' Professional Development (29 Jun 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: Teaching Council of Ireland (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is, since 2006, the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession. The Teaching Council Act has been commenced on a phased basis and the next step in the commencement schedule is Part 5 (Fitness to Teach), the provisions of which were amended by the Teaching Council (Amendment) Act...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce the pupil teacher ratio for junior and senior infants. The pupil teacher ratio in the current school year is 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils. Budget 2016 provides for a one point adjustment to the staffing allocation to primary schools, which will be implemented for the 2016/17 school year. This will see the primary staffing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Programme for a Partnership Government reflects the Government's objective of strengthening parental choice and further expanding diversity in our school system. The desire of parents for diversity in education is primarily being pursued by increasing the number of non-denominational and multi-denominational schools with a view to reaching 400 by 2030. Progress on the divestment process...

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

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 94 together. The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the table. I wish to advise the Deputy that the DEIS programme was not postponed and continues to be delivered in 836 schools serving a total of 169,500 pupils schools nationwide. As the Deputy is aware, the review of the DEIS programme is currently underway and it is my intention that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early School Leavers (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The following information is taken from the 2008 Retention report by the Department of Education and Skills, on school retention in Ireland. It is based on a detailed analysis of the records held in the Department's Post-Primary Pupils Database (PPPDB) for the cohort of entrants to the first year of the junior cycle from the years 2000 to 2008 who sat the Leaving Certificate Examinations in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: RAPID Programme (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The RAPID Funding made available to schools through my Department in the years in question was: 2007 - €175,331 2008 - €4,326,170.41 2009 - €1,254,888.13 No further RAPID funding was disbursed through my Department in 2006 or after 2009. The funding was made available to provide educational infrastructure in disadvantaged schools serving RAPID areas by way of small scale...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Substance Abuse Prevention Education (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Data, taken from the Department's Lifeskills survey 2012, indicates that more than 90% of schools provide their students with information on alcohol and drug misuse, through SPHE and other means. The report on the 2015 Lifeskills survey is currently being finalised and will be available shortly. Analysis so far indicates that the high level of implementation of strategies regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) curriculum is mandatory at primary level and up to junior cycle at post-primary level. Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) is embedded within SPHE at Junior Cycle level. A framework for Senior Cycle SPHE is available to schools and while its implementation is not mandatory, schools are required to provide an Relationship and Sexuality...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (29 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted applications to my Department for capital funding in relation to its school accommodation. The applications concerned are currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority shortly.

Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Exactly. We need to proceed with the necessary care that public hearings of the Oireachtas committee would provide us. In that spirit, I commend the amendment to the House.

Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following:"Dáil Éireann resolves that the Bill be deemed to be read a second time this day twelve months, to allow for scrutiny between now and then by the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills and for the Committee to consider submissions and hold hearings that have regard in particular...

Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: It is encouraging that a suitable site has been identified. It is both technically suitable and available and negotiations have been initiated. Obviously, in a commercial situation I will not jeopardise it by seeking to identify timelines or deadlines, particularly given the history of disappointment. The Deputy raises the wider issue of provision. In their planning of town development...