Results 6,621-6,640 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (29 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 90 together. 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, as with most new schools, has been in interim start-up accommodation, pending a permanent school becoming available. In order to cater for the school's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Establishment (29 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (LMETB). We expect to finalise the design-related issues that have arisen with this project very shortly. A change in the brief for the project and the re-tendering of the project will be required in that context.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Expulsions (29 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: My Department understands that the student referred to by the Deputy has returned to school. This follows a Section 29 Appeal that was upheld and a direction from my Department on 13 November to the Board of Management to re-admit the student.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (29 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The school to which the Deputy refers operates under the patronage of the local Education and Training Board (ETB). The ETB recently informed my Department that the long term accommodation needs of the school were being reviewed and that it would revert to my Department when this process had been completed. My Department understands that the review has now been concluded and that the ETB...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (29 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The school to which the Deputy refers operates under the patronage of the local Education and Training Board (ETB). The ETB recently informed my Department that the long term accommodation needs of the school were being reviewed and that it would revert to my Department when this process had been completed. My Department understands that the review has now been concluded and that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: There are no payments recorded on my Department's Financial Management System in respect of the body identified by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts Data (4 Dec 2018)

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 will be available in early 2019. It is the policy of my Department to minimise to the greatest extent possible the use of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: The project referred to by the Deputy is being devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). My Department is currently making the necessary arrangements to enter into a Service Level Agreement with the NDFA. This is the first step to initiate the delivery of the project. Once the Service Level Agreement is in place, the NDFA will set up the required...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question recently submitted an application for additional accommodation to cater for increasing enrolment. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has been liaising with the school relating to the application and additional mainstream accommodation has been approved. The school authority has been advised accordingly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: As part of building project at the school referred to by the Deputy the following outdoor sports facilities are being provided:- - Basketball courts - 6 all weather courts in a porous macadam surface finish with goals, lining and secure sports fencing - Soccer pitch - 1 grass soccer pitch (90 x 46m) to English Football Association and Sport England specification "Natural Turf For Sport:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: The estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of ancillary grant by €5.50 per pupil in primary schools is circa €3.1m. Improvements have been made in recent years for the restoration of grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff. The ancillary grant was increased by €6 in 2016, €5 in 2017 and €5 in 2018, in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Direct Provision System (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: My Department engages on an ongoing basis with officials in the Department of Justice & Equality in relation to education issues arising from the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers and refugees and resources are provided where necessary. My Department has seconded an official to the Department of Justice and Equality to support the arrangement of education provision for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a building project to provide a new replacement school building on a new site for the school in question is included in my Department Capital Programme. In this regard, my Department is currently finalising the project brief and this is expected to be completed shortly. My Department recently met with the school patron and provided update on the project.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: In 2012 a public service-wide review of pay and allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As a result of the review, qualification allowances and certain other premium payments were abolished with effect from 1st February 2012. Department of Education and Skills Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this decision on teachers. The Circular was produced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: Funding for special education provision in 2018 will amount to some €1.75 billion, up 43% since 2011 and equivalent to 18.7% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training. My Department's policy is to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs, including Autism (ASD), in mainstream school settings, unless such a placement would...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Eligibility (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: The purpose of my Department’s Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for students who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. In exceptional cases the Department will consider home tuition applications on behalf of students with diagnoses of school phobia and/or associated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: Funding for all primary schools in the free education scheme is dealt with on a per capita basis. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc., and the ancillary services grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. The school referred to by the Deputy received...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Meetings (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: The Minister's diary is published online at and includes all the events the Minister attended.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (4 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB). The Deputy will also be aware that the Stage 2A submission has been submitted to my Department for examination. It is currently being reviewed. The outcome of this review will be conveyed to the ETB as soon as it is available.