Results 16,961-16,980 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Reviews (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that, Section 2 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004, providing for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs and the sections of the Act which placed the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on a statutory footing, were commenced in 2005. The remaining sections of the EPSEN Act, have yet...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: Students currently in second year of Junior Cycle who have not completed their first Classroom-Based Assessment (CBA) will, as agreed with the teacher unions, have the opportunity to complete this early in the first term of the coming school year. It is a matter of deep regret that ASTI has failed to deliver on the 2015 agreement with their leadership. The refusal to cooperate with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Government has committed to establishing a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the Public Service, including entry pay levels. The terms of reference and timescale for the Commission's work are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Government recognises the importance of being able to attract quality new entrants to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) makes allocations for Teachers and Special Needs Assistants to special schools each year. In doing so, they take into account the number of pupils enrolled to the school and the care needs of the pupils attending the school, in accordance with my Departments allocation criteria. The number of special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Government has committed to establishing a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the Public Service, including entry pay levels. The terms of reference and timescale for the Commission's work are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and would require broad consultation, including engagement with staff representatives as was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Mental Health Strategies (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of positive mental health awareness in both primary and post-primary schools as part of an overall healthy lifestyle for our young people. The Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health and to supporting those with a broad range of problems, behavioural,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that funding for special education provision in 2016 will amount to some €1.5 billion, which is equivalent to over 17% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training. It has increased by 10% in the past two years. The investment which is being made to support children with special educational needs is an area of spending which has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools, to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The Deputy will be aware that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The Government recognises the importance of higher education to Ireland's future economic and social development and also the huge impact a higher education experience has on the lives of individuals. In considering the best way forward, the previous Government established an Expert Group to examine future funding requirements for higher education and to present options for developing a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2016/2017 school year is set out in Circular 0007/2016. 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 enrolment returns submitted by the school referred to by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the review of the DEIS programme is currently underway and it is my intention that a New Action Plan for disadvantaged schools will be published by the end of this year. I also wish to advise the Deputy that changes to the current programme will not be made pending the outcome of the review. The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the schools referred to by the Deputy have submitted an application to my Department for additional accommodation. The applications concerned are currently being assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the respective school authorities as soon as this process has been finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I can confirm that the schools referred to by the Deputy have both submitted applications for additional accommodation. With regard to the first named school, I understand that my Department has discussed the application with the school concerned and has sought additional information. When this is received, the application can be considered further. The application from the second named...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: As the Deputy may be aware, planning permission was granted for the construction of a new 16 classroom school building on a site currently in the ownership of Cork City Council. This school building is intended to accommodate the school to which the Deputy refers. The acquisition by my Department of the site in question is currently at an advanced stage.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) support to mainstream Primary, Post Primary and Special Schools, to assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. The NCSE makes such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: My Department's priority is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. The NCSE have advised that there are four post primary schools in the area referred to by the Deputy that have classes for pupils with ASD. These are Ardscoil na mBraithre Clonmel 65320J; St. Ailbe's School, Rosanna Road, Tipperary Town 72480W;...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff Remuneration (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: As is the norm with public service collective agreements, the Lansdowne Road Agreement was negotiated with trade unions which are recognised as representing staff in the public service (including teachers). It is normal 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The major building project for the school in question is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Certificate and Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of Tender Documents. All statutory approvals have been secured and the Design Team were authorised to complete Stage 2b. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The school building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. All statutory approvals have been obtained and the Stage 2b submission has been approved by my Department. A tender exercise for a replacement Consultant Mechanical & Electrical Engineer is currently being finalised by my Department. However, on 1st January...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (28 Jun 2016)

Richard Bruton: The decision on whether to issue a Contract of Indefinite Duration (CID) to a teacher is one for their school as employer in the first instance. As part of the agreement between the education partners on the implementation of the Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) Act 2003 in the education and training sector, an adjudication system was established to facilitate resolution of disputes...