Results 6,361-6,380 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

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

Joe McHugh: Information in relation to the current status of all major school building projects and additional accommodation projects including County Kildare is available on my Departments web-site and this information is updated on a regular basis. Information in relation to all completed projects is also available on my Department website.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: Since my arrival in the Department I have been considering the issue of History in the curriculum. I have spoken publicly of how vital it is that our young people can learn from the past so that they can plan for the future. I think it is very important that our education system should provide the opportunity to learn about, and learn from, key times and events in our history, events that we...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: Special Needs Assistants are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities, who have additional and significant care needs, in an educational context. They may be appointed to a special school or a mainstream school to assist school authorities in making suitable provision for a pupil or pupils with special care needs. The first priority is that the care needs of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). The policy of my Department is that, as far as possible, schools should appoint people to teach who are registered with the Teaching Council and have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware my Department approved a devolved grant for works at the school referred to. Subsequently an increased scope of works was submitted by the school. Additional information was requested, and received, in that regard. The additional information is currently under consideration and my Department will be in contact with the school once that process is complete. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Irish language is accorded special status in Ireland and is protected by various pieces of legislation and in particular Article 8 of our Constitution which states that “The Irish Language as the national language is the first official language”. The Education Act 1998 recognises the particular responsibility of the education system with regard to supporting the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (15 Jan 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: School Accommodation Provision (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: In April 2018, the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement highlighted that the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review, and in particular would have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040, and also noted that there will be a be a need...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Status (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The school in question is in the DEIS programme. The list of schools included in the DEIS programme is available at the following link: .

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

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that the school has recently submitted clarifications in relation to the issues in question. Officials in my Department are still in the process of thoroughly reviewing this information. This review will consider the meeting request referred to by the Deputy and will also take account of all information provided by the school and the consultants appointed by it. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Language Schools (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 to 323, inclusive, together. The majority of English language schools in Ireland are privately run and do not come under the remit of my Department or Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). My Department has not commissioned any reports in relation to the closure of English language schools. The Deputy may be aware that my Department is taking...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: Management bodies and schools have, in recent years, reported difficulties in recruiting teachers. At primary level this relates mainly to the recruitment of substitute teachers and at post-primary level to the recruitment of teachers of particular subjects, including Irish and Home Economics. In response to these difficulties, the Teacher Supply Steering Group, chaired by the Secretary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Mental Health Strategies (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, mental health and wellbeing promotion is afforded a high priority and is one of the key goals within my Department’s Action Plan for Education in 2016/19. My Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of wellbeing in our schools and has a key role to play in the promotion of the wellbeing of children and young people in Ireland, in collaboration...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: For the Deputy’s information, the following are the details in relation to the expenditure from 2016 - 2018 inclusive in relation to marketing, media and social media. My Department had no social media spend in 2016 and 2017. However, in December 2018, a campaign promoting teaching as a career was developed in conjunction with the Government Information Service (€132,991) in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department recently appointed a Principal Officer to manage the Department's Communications. The Department's press office currently handle our media queries and social media. There are three staff in the Press Office (Higher Executive Officer (acting) Executive Officer and Clerical Officer) one of whom is out on Maternity leave.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Exemptions (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The position is that exemptions from the study of Irish are currently granted in accordance with the provisions of Departmental Circular 12/96 for primary schools and Circular M10/94 for post-primary schools. The Department is reviewing these circulars and a public consultation is underway on proposed changes with a view to bringing the existing circulars up to date with current policy and...

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

Joe McHugh: The school referred to by the Deputy was established in September 2015 under the patronage divesting process. In order to facilitate the opening of the school its initial establishment has been in interim start-up accommodation, pending a permanent school becoming available. In order to cater for the school's growing enrolment numbers, additional interim accommodation was required and my...

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

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware my Department in September 2017 introduced a new model to support pupils with special educational needs in our schools. The new model differs significantly from the old Resource Allocation Model, in that Special Education Teacher allocation is now frontloaded into schools to support children with special educational needs. Rather than having to make individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The decision to stop the Gaeltacht placement grants was taken during the economic crisis when, unfortunately, very difficult decisions had to be made to stabilise the nation's finances. Priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible. The Deputy should note that, to assist with the costs of the Gaeltacht placement, students who are in...