Results 6,701-6,720 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme (6 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2016 -2017 was applied on a multi-annual basis. The Deputy will be aware that nearly 50% of schools applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Almost €80 million has been approved to date under the SWS, in respect of over 640 school projects in categories 1 - 6. Details of the successful school applicants are published on my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (6 Dec 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: Language Schools Closures (6 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: My Department is aware of the difficulties facing the English language school referred to by the Deputy. The school in question is a member of MEI (Marketing English in Ireland), an association of English language schools. One of the obligations of MEI membership is that schools have protection for enrolled learner policies in place. I understand that MEI are putting in place the necessary...

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

Joe McHugh: The school building project to which the Deputy refers is at Tender stage and tenders are currently being reviewed. When the tender analysis is complete the Letter of Acceptance appointing the contractor will then issue. The Letter of Acceptance is expected to issue and construction to commence in Quarter 1, 2019. The school building project is to provide a new 16 no. classroom school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Language Schools (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: English language schools in Ireland seeking to recruit non-EEA students are required to have the relevant education programmes listed on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP).  The ILEP, which is operated and maintained by the Department of Justice and Equality, is a list of education programmes considered to justify the granting of permission to non-EEA students to live and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Language Schools (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: There is an existing legislative framework in place to protect employment rights in the English language education sector.  This includes the Protection of Employment (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 and the Workplace Relations Act 2015.  There is also a comprehensive industrial relations machinery in place for dealing with workplace relations issues including collective bargaining issues...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: 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 not be in the best interests of the child concerned, or the children with whom they will be educated. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: The changes to the minimum entry requirements for entry to primary Initial Teacher Education programmes, as announced in October 2017, are as follows: Entry 2018 - Irish: H5, English: H7/O5, Maths: H7/O6 Entry 2019 and beyond - Irish: H4, English: H7/O4, Maths: H7/O4. (For information on the new Leaving Certificate Grading Scheme, see )   The changes introduced took account...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Correspondence (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: The final response to the representation referred to by the Deputy was issued on the 25th October 2018.  The response has now been reissued.  If there are any further queries in relation to this matter then my office can be contacted directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (11 Dec 2018)

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: State Examinations (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: Universities in Ireland are statutorily independent institutions.  Admission is a matter for each individual institution and my Department does not have the authority to intervene in the admissions process.  The higher education institutions have delegated to the Central Applications Office (CAO) the task of processing applications to their first year undergraduate courses. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (11 Dec 2018)

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, 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 growing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: I wish to inform the Deputy that all new school buildings are built in accordance with my Department's Technical Guidance documents. Included in these documents is specific information regarding measures to be undertaken in relation to the management of the acoustics of the building. In the case of older school buildings, should the school authority identify...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (11 Dec 2018)

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 follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: The school to which the Deputy refers recently made an application under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme for the works in question.  However, as this application is related to an additional accommodation project already approved for the school, the issues raised in the applicaton will be considered by officials within my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act, 1998, the appointment of a Board of Management of a school is a matter for the relevant school patron. The mechanisms under which a Board of Management member may be removed are as follows: Section 16 of the Education Act provides that a patron may, with the consent of the Minister, for good and valid reasons stated in writing to a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application under the Summer Works Scheme for a Category 10 - external environment project. The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2016 -2017 was applied on a multi-annual basis.  The Deputy will be aware that nearly 50% of schools applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand.  Almost €80...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: A building project which involves a replacement school building for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s 6 year Construction Programme.  A project brief has been finalised and the project will be delivered via the ADAPT programme.  The ADAPT programme uses a professional external Project Manager to coordinate and drive the respective design...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 Dec 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together Secondary School is included on my Department's capital programme.  With the assistance of officials from Fingal County Council a suitable site has been identified and the school building project has been advanced into the architectural planning process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Dec 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 the school to which he refers. The schedule of accommodation and brief in respect of the building project has been finalised and the project will now be...