Results 5,881-5,900 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts Data (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I assume the Deputy’s question relates to building projects under my Department’s Capital Programme. The relevant school authority, as distinct from my Department, is the client and awarding authority for the vast bulk of projects delivered under the school building programme. However, the procurement approach for the delivery of all school building projects is set out in...

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

Joe McHugh: My Department has approved the provision of additional temporary accommodation for 2019/2020 for the school referred to by the Deputy at its current location and the initial approval letter issued to the school authorities in November 2018. My Department now awaits documentation from the school authorities in order to progress this matter further.

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

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that under 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Circular 56 of 2011 places a requirement on schools to implement standardised testing at second, fourth and sixth classes. In accordance with the Circular, pupils may be excluded from the test if in the view of the school principal they have a learning or physical disability which would prevent them from attempting the test, or in the case of pupils for whom English is a second language, that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. The starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702. As a result of the programme of pay restoration, the starting salary of a teacher is now €36,318 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692. Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and Pensions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department's policy is that all children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. The greater proportion of children with SEN attend mainstream class, where they may access additional supports if required. Special class placements are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Attendance Data (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The position of my Department in relation to the use of reduced timetables is that each child has a right to education to enable them to live a full life as a child and to realise his or her potential as a unique individual. All pupils who are enrolled in a school should attend school for the full day, unless exempted from doing so for exceptional circumstances, such as medical reasons. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Attendance Data (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, ethnicity is considered a special category of personal data and is subject to additional protections. Therefore information on pupil ethnicity can only be collected and reported on a voluntary basis, with the explicit consent of a pupil's parent(s) or guardian(s). My Department is engaging with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act...

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

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022) including a new 800 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2021 to serve the Kilcoole and Greystones school planning areas as a regional solution. This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I recognise the very important work done by school secretaries, and indeed by other support staff, in the running of our schools and I am grateful to them for the contribution they make to our education system. I have spoken to a number of school secretaries about their employment conditions. Schemes were initiated in 1978 and 1979 for the employment of Clerical Officers and Caretakers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Details of consultancy payments made by my Department for the years 2011 to 2017 inclusive are available on the Department's website . Information in relation to consultancy expenditure is compiled annually in respect of the previous year. The data in respect of 2018 is currently being collated and will be published on our website at the end of the first quarter 2019.

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

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school, to which he refers, is included in my Department's 6-Year Construction Programme. In that context, my Department has been in direct contact with the school authority seeking clarification on the school's site proposals. On receipt of this information the matter will be progressed and officials from my Department will continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (14 Feb 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: Student Universal Support Ireland Administration (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: As a centralised national service, SUSI implements a process through which student grant applicants and other parties to their application can consent to the sharing of their personal data with each other and with third parties, including public representatives, for the purpose of responding to queries submitted on behalf of applicants and parties to applications. This process seeks to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capital Expenditure Programme (14 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: School building projects in excess of €10m typically arise at post-primary level rather than at primary level. Building Contracts in excess of €10m Numbers County Roll No. School Year Contract Sum Incl VAT Date LOA signed/ Contract commenced Final Account Agreed Sum incl VAT Reason for variation: Change Orders, Conciliation etc 1 Cork 68264R Edmund Rice College,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Status (13 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, and as I previously advised on this matter, all schools at both Primary and Post Primary are being assessed using the new identification model. The current identification model needs to be as accurate as possible and further analysis is also required to examine other variables known to be strong predictors of educational disadvantage in the context of resource...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (13 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022) including a new 8-classroom primary school to be established in 2019 to serve the Glasheen_CorkCity/Pouladuff school planning area. This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (13 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware the decision making authority for any amalgamation is the Patron/Trustees of the schools, and this is subject to the approval of my Department. My Department is aware of a proposal from the Patron body and has sought further information in relation to the proposed amalgamation. On receipt of this information further consideration will be given to the proposal.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Consultancy Contracts Data (13 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together. Details of consultancy payments made by my Department for the years 2011 to 2017 inclusive are available on the Department's website . Information in relation to consultancy expenditure is compiled annually in respect of the previous year. The data in respect of 2018 is currently being collated and will be published on our website at the...