Results 6,941-6,960 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Department initiated a programme of fire safety assessments in 55 schools in Quarter 4 of 2017. This involved 30 schools constructed by Western Building Systems under Design and Build contracts and a representative sample of 25 other schools constructed over the last 20 years. A number of schools in the Fingal area were included in this assessment process. Fire Safety Consultants have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Energy Conservation (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: 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 for schools. The longer-term outcome of this scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: A building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s 6 year Construction Programme. A project brief is being 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 teams on each project. In this regard, a tender...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design). All statutory approvals have been secured. The Stage 2(b) report was submitted to my Department in late September 2018 and following an initial review was deemed incomplete. The report has been returned to the Design Team for revision, along with guidance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, my Department is currently in the process of acquiring additional land owned by South Dublin County Council adjoining the site of this school. While a building project for this school is not on the current schools building works programme, the additional land offers the potential to enhance current facilities and support future development. There is ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The estimated cost of a 20% increase in the book grant for primary and post-primary schools is circa €20m. The Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €16.7 million in 2018 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (15 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department aims to consistently provide high quality services to customers, as outlined in our Customer Charter. The complaints procedure in place in my Department is designed to address instances when our customers are dissatisfied with the service they have received. It guides staff in investigating and responding to all complaints and, where possible, advises on resolution of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department's policy in relation to the provision of Assistive Technology support for pupils with Special Educational Needs is set out in Department of Education and Skills Circular 0010/2013. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, and as such the management of their academic affairs, including all issues in relation to admissions criteria, are matters for the individual institutions concerned. Neither I nor the Department has a function in relation to the admission of students.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 123 together. My Department currently has 1499 employees (1414 Full Time Equivalent) . This number includes all temporary staff, secondees and those on long term leave, career break etc. In relation to the organisations named by the Deputy, the Department has corporate IPA membership, one corporate member of Chartered Accountants Ireland and two...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that in relation to enrolment generally, it is my Department's responsibility to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: A building project 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 teams on each project. In this regard, a tender...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: A building project 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 teams on each project. In this regard, a tender...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the building project for the school in question is included on my Department's capital programme. Agreement in principal for the acquisition of a suitable site for the school has been reached and this is currently at conveyance stage. The advancement of the conveyance process, subject to no issues arising, will in due course allow my Department to initiate the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. Following the appointment of a replacement consultant architect, the Design Team has reviewed the previous Stage 2(b) documentation and is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the proposed location for the new post-primary school to which he refers is in Mooretown, Swords. This school building project is on my Department's Rapid Design & Build Programme and the project is at tender stage.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is 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 at Drinan has been identified and planning permission has been granted for the construction of the new post primary school thereon. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, 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 progressed into...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (16 Jan 2019)

Joe McHugh: The lands at the school referred to by the Deputy were purchased by the St Laurence O’Toole Diocesan Trust, on behalf of the Board of Management for the school. An initial site adjacent to the school, was procured from Fingal County Council and transferred ownership on 1stJune 2017. The second site was purchased from a private vendor and ownership transferred on 18thOctober 2017. My...