Results 6,141-6,160 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Staff (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Education and Training Boards (ETBs) are statutory bodies with their own corporate status established under the Education and Training Boards Act 2013, and are responsible for a range of reserved and executive functions under that Act. The Chief Executive is responsible for performing the executive functions of the board and is accountable to the board for the due performance of his or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, under my Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible students with students paying an annual student contribution of €3,000. It is estimated that the net additional cost to my Department of abolishing the Student Contribution is as follows: Year * First year Cost Full year cost 2018/19...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Caranua is an independent statutory body established under the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. My understanding is that there hasn't been an influx of applications since the announcement of the cessation date. Under the protocol for the provision of information to Members of the Oireachtas by State Bodies under the aegis of Government Departments/Offices (Reference DPE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Caranua is an independent statutory body established under the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. From the last meeting my officials had with Caranua, I understand that Caranua reported that a number of face to face meetings had taken place with applicants in Caranua’s office. It is, however, an operational matter and under the protocol for the provision of information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) Detailed Design which includes the application for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The stage 2(b) submission has been reviewed by my Department and the school and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The full list of schools built by the company in question is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie. A fire safety assessment programme was initiated in 2017 on 30 schools constructed by the company in the details supplied. This follows previous fire safety assessments of all schools constructed in 2008 by the same company.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: ERASMUS Programme (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Erasmus+ is the EU’s flagship programme for Education, Training, Youth and Sport for 2014-2020. It aims to make a contribution to meeting the key challenges facing Europe to boost growth and jobs and to foster social equity and inclusion. Erasmus+ will provide opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train, gain work experience and volunteer abroad. The Programme aims to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: My Department provides funding for 1 Clerical Officer, 2 Caretakers and 4,978 annual cleaning hours to the school referred to by the Deputy. This is in addition to funding the salary of the Secretary who has now retired. Under current arrangements schools are permitted to fill Clerical Officer and Caretaker vacancies up to a max of 1 Clerical Officer and 1 Caretaker. In this regard my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together. The structural assessments have been conducted on the schools in question and the outcome is available on the Department's website at www.education.gov.ie. I wish to assure the Deputy that the safety of school students and staff has been, and will continue to be, the Department’s overriding priority during this process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 and 352 together. A number of requests to undertake the Senior Cycle (Leaving Certificate) programme over a one-year period are received each year, the Department under its rules does not provide for this option. This is because the programme, both in breadth and depth, was purposely designed to be covered over two academic years and not one. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autism (ASD), can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that the applicant in question is not the subject of an appeal to the Student Grant Appeals Board. However, as part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (6 Nov 2018)

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: School Services Staff (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Though schemes were initiated in 1978 and 1979 for the employment of Clerical Officers and Caretakers in primary and secondary schools, where staff employed on these schemes are paid directly by the Department, these schemes have been largely phased out and have been superseded by the more extensive capitation grant schemes. Under these schemes, the majority of primary and voluntary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Nov 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 tender process to appoint a replacement architect for this project was completed on 26th July 2018. The replacement architect is currently reviewing the Stage 2(b) tender documentation. The Design Team is also working on the completion of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 336 and 337 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Neither myself nor the Ministers of State in my Department have met or have had correspondence with the individual/companies named, within the past three years.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Under my Department's Design Team Procedures, when a contract is awarded the Contractor must provide the Employer's Representative, before the Starting Date, a detailed programme, in the form set down in the Contract, that will permit effective monitoring of the works. The Contractor is obliged to submit to the Employer’s Representative monthly progress reports, in the form set down in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Regulations (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Under the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations introduced in 2014, an Assigned Certifier must be appointed. Since 2014, the Department has appointed an independent qualified third party to act as Assigned Certifier on all Design and Build school projects. On school projects designed by the Employer, the lead Architect on the design team usually acts as the Assigned Certifier. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: My Department's first priority is safety. My Department will separately be looking at the issues arising, including the need for any changes to existing procedures.