Results 7,421-7,440 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities. The core function of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained. The Design Team is currently completing work to ensure the new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 219 together. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application under Category 10 of the Summer Works Schemes (SWS) from the school in question regarding a boundary fence. Under the 2016-2017 Summer Works Scheme, almost €117 million has been approved to date in respect of over 940 school projects in categories 1-9. Details of successful school applicants are published on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Designation (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has recently liaised with the school Patron, of the school in question, regarding an application to change the status of the school to co-educational. My Department will continue with this engagement as part of the assessment process. A decision is expected to be conveyed to the school authority shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Circulars (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The position is that my Department issued over 80 Circulars in 2018, the status of which depends on the individual Circular. In relation to the disciplinary procedures, Circular 0048/2018 sets out the disciplinary procedures for teachers and Principals employed by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) . The procedures were negotiated and agreed with the education partners in accordance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Revenue Commissioners introduced real time PAYE (PAYE modernisation) which went live on the 1st January 2019. This was the biggest change to the PAYE system since the 1960s. From 1 January 2019 employers are required to report their employees’ pay and statutory deductions to Revenue for each payroll issue. The salary issue relates to the taxation of the substitute staff who were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: No Education projects will be delayed as a result of the Department's contribution to the National Children's Hospital. The Department of Education and Skills has agreed to pay, in 2019, €10m of an existing €17m commitment to higher education facilities in the National Children’s Hospital. This funding will come from within the existing overall amount allocated to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 211 together. There is no provision currently in my Department's budget for the Gaeltacht placement grant or an element thereof in 2019. However, to assist with the costs of the Gaeltacht placement, students who are in receipt of a student grant which includes a 100% fee grant, or who would have qualified for a full fee grant but for the Free...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, the Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Supervision and Substitution Scheme Data (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Substitute teachers are employed by the managerial authorities of schools and paid salary by my Department. The number of substitutable days in primary schools where no substitution cover was claimed in the 2017/18 school year was 92,299. The number in post primary schools excluding ETBs was 25,608. This information has been extracted from the Online Claims System (OLCS). The Online...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is currently not in receipt of any application for emergency works funding from this school. The Emergency works application form and circular are both available on the Department's website.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Supervision and Substitution Scheme Data (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Substitute teachers are employed by the managerial authorities of the schools. My Department acts as Paymaster for contracted and substitute staff to over 4,000 schools. In 2018, my Department paid 13,796 substitutes who were employed in primary schools and 10,346 substitutes employed in post-primary schools (excluding ETB schools). In the 2017/2018 school year the average number of days...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question submitted an application for major capital funding to my Department to construct a new school building. Given the need to meet demographic growth, the delivery of new schools, together with extension projects identified by my Department’s 6 year construction programme to meet future demand, will remain the focus of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 221 together. Schools have a legal duty to provide an appropriate education to all students, including young people with special educational needs, and obviously they need to plan to ensure this happens. Planning is a normal part of a teacher’s work and planning tools, like the student support file, have been created as a resource to help...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's Capital Programme. My Department is currently finalising the project brief with a view to progressing the project into the architectural planning process. The brief is expected to be completed shortly and my Department will be in further contact with the patron, who has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (19 Feb 2019)

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 greater proportion of children with Autism attend mainstream classes, but some require the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Free Education Scheme (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The estimated full year cost of increasing the book grant by €3 per pupil at primary level and €6 per pupil at post-primary schools is circa €3.8m. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The aim of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement. Provision is also made for early educational intervention for children with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (19 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Regarding the recognition of electronic music equipment as musical instruments,while electronic instruments are referenced, no electronic music equipment is specified in any syllabus documentation. The primary school curriculum incorporates the subject’s visual arts, music and drama within the curriculum area of arts education. In the primary school music curriculum, enabling pupils...