Results 5,961-5,980 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Report on Positive Mental Health in Schools: Minister for Education and Skills (18 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: But there will still be different groups and individuals-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Report on Positive Mental Health in Schools: Minister for Education and Skills (18 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: I am with the Deputy on that. He also mentioned school nurses possibly coming into schools as well and that is part of our wider conversation, whether that is with the HSE or the Department of Health. On focusing on the structure, the Deputy is right that teachers only have a certain amount of time. They are under pressure and I referenced initiative overload already so we have to take...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Report on Positive Mental Health in Schools: Minister for Education and Skills (18 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: Yes and it goes back to acknowledging that there are different initiatives in different schools. They involve such matters as the school helping the local athletics club building a new track. That collaboration is there. We can learn a lot from these individual examples where initiatives are working and the collaboration and volunteerism is thriving. There are plenty of volunteers coming...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Report on Positive Mental Health in Schools: Minister for Education and Skills (18 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: There was one question asked about the NEPS psychologists. I think it may have been from Deputy Byrne. Of their work, 20% is to build the capacity of schools to support all students. That includes delivering CBT continuing professional development training to teachers on a programme to reduce anxiety and build coping skills. The incredible years programme builds social and emotional...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: I shall go straight into the substantive issue of the reply. There is a preamble around the general allocation of money in this sector. The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year, and where special provision is required in an area, it is planned and provided for. The NCSE sanctioned a new special class in St. Conleth's community college to meet the identified needs of students in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: I agree that this is an important issue. Every child and every young person deserves access to education and has a right to that education. I do not know the specifics about what was offered or if the home school tuition was offered. For the record, up to 20 hours can be made available for home tuition. I do not know why that was not taken up or why it was not organised. We can explore...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: I know there were specific questions. I will try to get back to them during the supplementary questions but for the purposes of the record of the House, I will lay out what has happened over recent days since I was briefed on this last Thursday. I just want to update the House. I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. Before I put the specifics on record, I assure the House that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: For Ardgillan.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: There are many specific questions. I met with my officials before I came into the Chamber. I asked them to make themselves available to members of the Opposition tomorrow. They will meet together at 10.30 a.m. They will make contact with the Opposition spokespersons and, I suggest, the members of the education committee to do a full briefing. This is a very serious issue. Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: It is estimated that the average cost per annum to the State of a medical student is c. €11,000. This takes into account State grant and tuition fee funding paid by the State (where appropriate). It excludes the Student Contribution of €3,000 which is paid by the student, or paid by the exchequer on behalf of the student in cases where the student qualifies for assistance under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2019 (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. As a result, 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 Act 2017 provides that “the Minister [for Public Expenditure and Reform] shall, within...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. The Government negotiated a 15-22% pay increase for new teachers. The matter of new entrant pay is a cross sectoral issue, not just an issue for the education sector alone. The Government supports the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware of the many pressing demands within Education which my Department has had to consider in recent years.  Important changes have been made resourcing and reforming provision for children with Special Educational Needs, rolling out Junior Cycle Reform, strengthening school leadership, reducing Primary Class Size, restoring Guidance Teachers, providing for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the state agency with statutory responsibility for the quality assurance of further and higher education and training in Ireland. QQI is responsible for maintaining the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The NFQ is a system of ten levels which aims to make the qualifications system in Ireland easier to understand, thus facilitating the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 1 of the Architectural Planning Process.  Stage 1 is the Preliminary Design Stage where the Design Team, in conjunction with the school authority, analyse all the constraints of the site, develop a preferred design option and ensure that the preferred option is most appropriate for the delivery of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2019 (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: Budget 2019 will see numbers employed in our schools reach the highest ever level. Over 1,300 additional posts in schools will be funded, including more than 370 teaching posts and 950 additional SNA posts to cater for growth in student population and additional special classes. This builds on the Budget 2018 measure which provided a one point improvement in the staffing schedule in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: Assistant Principal I and Assistant Principal II (formerly Special Duties posts), along with the Principal and Deputy Principal make up the middle management structure in schools. Budget 2017 allowed for the commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an agreed distributed leadership model and meant lifting the rigidity of the longstanding moratorium on these posts at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Supply (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: My Department is aware of reports that some schools are experiencing difficulties in finding substitute teachers.  In order to ease the situation, in the last school year the limits that teachers on career break can work as substitutes was suspended. Schools were also reminded that, in considering career break applications, the needs of pupils should take precedence and they must...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design. The outcome of the pre-qualification process for the main contract has been notified to contractors who expressed interest in tendering for this project.  Feedback and issues arising from same is currently being dealt...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Oct 2018)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included on my Department's 6-Year Construction Programme. I wish to advise the Deputy that the project is progressing to the architectural planning stage and is expected to be delivered by an external agency to my Department. Arrangements are currently being made in this regard and my Department will be in...