Results 4,621-4,640 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Junior Cycle Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am unclear as to what you are asking.  I have conferred with the NCCA, JCT and the Inspectorate and all have asked for clarification on the question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Digital Strategy for Schools (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Digital Learning Framework (DLF)  for Schools, developed in 2017 and which is currently being disseminated to all schools, was trialled in a cross sectoral representation of 50 schools during the 2017/2018 school year accompanied by an external evaluation conducted by the Education Research Institute (ERC). The ERC Evaluation Report, available at , concluded that overall the DLF...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: This project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b (Detailed Design) which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Design Team is currently in the process of completing the Stage 2(b) report which is expected to be submitted shortly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: 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 previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is a matter for the Board of Management of each school. Where the introduction of digital devices is planned, consultation with members of the school community including parents is advised. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.  The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Education Review (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Special Schools funded by my Department are intended to cater for children and young persons with complex special educational needs from the age of 4 years until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year. Some people with a disability, over the age of 18, and who have complex needs, may require specialised support throughout their lives.  Ongoing care and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Grants (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled. Thence, the income threshold...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (30 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Junior Cycle Framework 2015 sets out Government policy in relation to Junior Cycle. Under that Framework students can take between 8 and a maximum of 10 subjects for final examination and for reporting through the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement (JCPA). The maximum of 10 subjects was designed to provide a broad curriculum experience to students, while allowing for the adequate depth...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (30 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 66 together. Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian or student who has reached the age of 18 years to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Data (30 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (30 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department is currently undertaking data analysis in the context of resource allocation to match identified need, including the examination of variables known to be strong predictors of educational disadvantage. All schools at both Primary and Post Primary are being assessed using the new identification model. Until this analysis is complete, it is not intended to extend the DEIS...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Data (29 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Stage 2(b) Detailed Design is arguably the most complex and detailed of all the stages in Architectural Planning. In the majority of school building projects, this stage includes the planning application, the application for Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the pre-qualification of contractors. It also includes the preparation of complex and detailed tender documents. Over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (29 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Government is spending nearly one euro in every five of the education budget on special education – about €1.9 billion in 2019. We have significantly increased the availability of special placements for children with special educational needs as well as bringing more and more children into mainstream education. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts (29 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 to 85, inclusive, together. All Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are paid on the SNA salary scale which is set by the Minister for Education and Skills in conjunction with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. SNAs who are employed in a regular part-time capacity are paid a pro-rata amount dependent upon their level of hours of employment....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (29 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: In the National Development Plan (2018-2027) €2.5bn is identified for the refurbishment and construction of schools. Part of this is intended for a deep energy retrofit of schools built prior to 2008. My Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland are currently involved in an energy efficiency retrofit pilot scheme for schools. Now in its third year, the aim of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (29 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a joint press release issued from from myself and Minister Bruton on the 29th March announcing the details of the 2019 deep energey retrofit programme. This included a list of the seventeen schools that have been identified for these works in 2019. This inititative is to be jointly funded with a €7 million budget from the Department of Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (28 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department understands that post primary schools in Ennis have made offers of school places and that some of those offers have yet to be accepted. In addition, students may have applied to and been offered places in a number of schools and have yet to accept or decline these offers, or have accepted a place in more than one school. As the Deputy may be aware, the Education (Admission to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Meetings (28 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table. Agency Date Representative National Council for Special Education (NCSE) 12/02/2019 Chairperson 14/05/2019 CEO & Head of Operations National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) 13/03/2019 CEO

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is...