Results 4,781-4,800 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commencement of Legislation (15 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department has begun the process of consultation with the Partners in relation to the preparation of regulations that are required alongside commencement of the remaining sections of the act. This consultation is ongoing.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (15 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The school to which the Deputy refers applied for funding under my Departments Emergency Works Scheme to carry out roof works to the school building. The works were deemed to be outside the scope of the scheme and the application was refused in that context. The school authority subsequently submitted an appeal to my Departments Planning and Building Unit for consideration. Additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (15 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 115 together. My Department's means of analysing demographic trends and data have changed considerably since the report to which the Deputy refers was completed in 2005. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (15 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), an independent agency of my Department, is responsible for planning, coordinating and advising on education provision for children with special educational needs. The Council ensures that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (15 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm Department officials are working to put a solution for the school's permanent accommodation in place at the earliest possible date. Unfortunately it is not possible to indicate a timeline for the confirmation of a location for the school at this point but I can assure the Deputy that the patron will be informed as soon as it is possible to do so.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (15 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a new permanent building for the school to which he refers, is included on my Department’s school building programme to be delivered under the National Development Plan. My Department is currently finalising the project brief with the aim of progressing the project into the architectural planning process at an early stage. In that regard, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (15 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The school to which the Deputy refers opened in September 2018 in interim accommodation in vacant classrooms in the permanent school building of a primary school under the same Patronage, on an education campus in the area referred to. This decision was made on the basis that securing a permanent site for the secondary school was imminent. Due to an unsuccessful planning application by a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Review (15 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: A Formal Review of the inspection referred to by the Deputy (a Whole-School Evaluation-Management, Leadership and Learning conducted in Sancta Maria College, Ballyroan, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16) was requested under the Procedure for Review of Inspections on Schools and Teachers under Section 13(9) of the Education Act 1998, September 2015. The Formal Review has not yet concluded and in line...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue. When discussing this issue it is difficult to articulate the thoughts and sentiments of people who have experienced it. It is not only that their youths were stolen, what happened has had a massive impact on their adult lives and it continues to impact on them. I take this matter seriously. I await receipt of the former High Court judge,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue and I acknowledge the Deputy's intervention with the Taoiseach today. The legacy of sexual abuse against children, whether in residential institutions, in day schools or in any other setting, is appalling. The Government calls on those who have evidence of prior complaint of abuse to bring that evidence forward in an open and transparent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, in order to qualify for funding under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. Where students do not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The information requested by the Deputy in the previous PQ is being collated currently from the extensive dataset maintained by my Department to manage the Primary Broadband Programme, so as to be in a manageable and meaningful format. This will be forward to the Deputy shortly. As per my previous reply, the policy of my Department is to offer the best quality connectivity to all schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places to keep pace with demographic demand and also provides for an additional focus on the refurbishment of existing school buildings to include the building and modernisation of PE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Expenditure (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The STEM Education Policy Statement was launched in November 2017, spending by the Department of Education and Skills on STEM initiatives and CPD in Primary and Post-Primary schools since then is as follows: - The spending for STEM CPD by JCT and PDST was €4,986,574 for 2018 and €3,557,590 for 2017 - The spend to schools in grant funding for the STEM cluster projects was -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that last October and November my Department carried out initial investigations into 42 schools where structural defects had been identified. 22 required precautionary measures to enable continued safe occupation. Following on from the initial investigations, which were based on sample opening up works, my Department initiated a second phase of detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning – Stage 2b (Detailed Design) which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. The Stage 2b report has been reviewed by my Department and comments have issued from my Department which the Design Team will include in its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: To apply for an exemption from the study of Irish, a written application for the exemption should be made by the parent or guardian to the school principal on behalf of their child. The application should state the reasons why the exemption is being sought. A child will only be considered for an exemption where his/her educational circumstances come within the provisions of the post...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health and Social Care Professionals Regulation (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Coru is the government body responsible for the regulation of health and social care professionals in Ireland. Regulation under the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 is managed through the protection of professional titles rather than by restricting practice. The Department of Health has proposed the designation of the professions ‘Counsellor’ and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (14 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b (Detailed Design). The Stage 2(b) submission has been reviewed by my Department and comments have issued to the school and its Design Team. The Design Team is currently working on a submission to my Department outlining the steps required to achieve compliance with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 May 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 30th September. However, the staffing arrangements for primary schools includes the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts...