Results 6,521-6,540 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I will not get into a political argument on the issue. Frustrations manifest themselves in many ways. We have a tremendous opportunity to bring together three great schools on a Crana College campus, including a Gaelscoil and a Gaelcholáiste. It is an ideal scenario. The Government's priority has always been to provide the funding. The funding is ring-fenced under the 2016-21...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: We still need a decision to be made. There is engagement now. It is at a heightened level, as it has been in recent months. I hope we get a successful outcome here.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: It is important to point out that, as Minister, I am not involved in any of the negotiations on this matter. The officials in my Department are working on it. I assure the Deputy that they are providing the necessary focus to try to bring this to a conclusion as speedily as possible. I am conscious of the frustrations, dreams and visions of those whose sons and daughters have attended...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: A building project at this school that primarily involves the replacement of existing temporary accommodation with permanent accommodation is included in my Department's six-year construction programme. The project will consist of an extension to include 12 mainstream classrooms, a two-classroom special needs unit and some refurbishment works to the existing accommodation. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: There are two aspects to the larger project. It is important to appoint an ADAPT project manager. The Deputy is articulating this strongly and my officials are listening to her. She mentioned the existing prefabs in the context of today's stormy conditions. Two of the school's older prefabs have been in poor condition since Storm Ali earlier this year. While I understand that some...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: There are dangers with giving the specifics of a timeframe because people can be disappointed when there is no movement on that timeframe. It is intended that the process of procuring a project manager will be initiated shortly. We could get into a more definitive explanation of what is meant by "shortly". Some people might think it means before Christmas and others might think it means...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: We have had a number of conversations about this issue. I apologise to the students for being unable to meet with them last week; I was at an event at the Aviva Stadium. I thank them for their correspondence. A major capital project for the provision of permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy to cater for a long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 pupils is being...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: This is an important ongoing issue. I spoke to my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, about it yesterday. Looking at it in a common sense, value for money way, the BIFE site is 12 acres and owned by the State. It will not cost money to acquire, and, therefore, it is an option. There is also a constraint on the Putland Road site because there is a protected structure on it....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: No student sitting his or her leaving certificate examinations will be left out. Alternative temporary solutions are being worked on, and we have been focusing on this issue. The significant question is how to address the long-term issue here. The meeting tomorrow is a follow-up to consider the decision made by the ETB. There must be a meeting of minds, and there must be focus on the long...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, with the assistance of officials in Fingal County Council, agreement in principle has been reached with the landowner in respect of the acquisition of a site at Broomfield, Malahide to accommodate Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together NS. The schedule of accommodation and brief in respect of the building project has been finalised and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, over the course of the mid-term break my Department undertook structural assessments on all 42 school buildings constructed by Western Building Systems since 2003 following the identification of significant structural issues at Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan during an assessment undertaken by a structural engineer at the school on 19 October. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí is currently at Stage 1 of the Architectural Planning Process. A Design Team was appointed to this project in June 2017. Stage 1 is the Preliminary Design Stage where the Design Team analyse all the constraints of the site, develop a preferred design option and cost plan. A Stakeholders meeting was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: In April 2018, my predecessor as Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, announced a major review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. This review, being conducted by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), is currently underway and will cover both the content of the RSE curriculum and support materials, as well...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a building project, which involves the provision of a replacement school building for the school to which he refers, is included in my Department’s 6 Year Construction Programme. This school building project will provide a schedule of accommodation to include 8 classrooms, a general purpose room, library and resource area, woodwork and art room,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: In November 2016 my Department announced improved supports to facilitate the smooth establishment of new primary and post-primary schools from September 2017. The first element of the improved supports involved new schools being permitted to appoint a school principal from an earlier stage in order to better facilitate the preparatory work involved in setting up a new school. The second...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, 42 new schools are planned to open over the four years based on nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department.  Included are two new 8 classroom primary schools to serve Swords North and Swords South, both to open in 2019. An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) for these schools will be opened soon. The OPPS has been developed by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Applications (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I am aware that the Deputy raised this matter previously in the House.  Last year my Department introduced an objective, statistics based model for assessing which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage.    ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, over the course of the mid-term break my Department undertook structural assessments on all  42 school buildings constructed by Western Building Systems since 2003 following the identification of significant structural issues at Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan during an assessment undertaken by a structural engineer at the school on 19...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The delivery of high quality internet connectivity for all schools is a key objective of my Department. It is accepted that good connectivity is essential to ensure that schools are facilitated to progress the embedding of digital technologies in teaching and learning and for the implementation of new and revised curriculum. The need to improve broadband connectivity to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Welfare Service (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The position of my Department is that 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. Reduced timetables should not be used as a behavioual management technique, or as a de facto suspension or expulsion. Where schools apply a shorter school day in relation to a child, such...