Results 8,361-8,380 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Enabling children with Special Educational Needs including Autism to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for Government. At present, the Department of Education and Skills is investing heavily in supporting our children with special educational needs, with €1.8bn being spent annually, about €1 in every 5 of the education budget. Investment in this area...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I want to assure the Deputy and Parents that concerns regarding a shortage of appropriate school places for next September are being taken very seriously. The National Council for Special education (NCSE), an independent agency of my Department, is responsible for planning, coordinating and advising on education provision for children with special educational needs. The Council ensures that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: A building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan.  The project has been authorised to proceed to tender.  Subject to no issues arising, it is envisaged that construction will commence in the final quarter of 2019, with a construction period of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. After the redeployment processes have transacted, each school is permitted to fill any remaining vacancies through open recruitment. It is open to any suitably qualified teacher to apply for these advertised teaching positions as they arise....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the registration of teachers in this State. The person referred to by the Deputy should continue to liaise with the Teaching Council regarding their application for registration as a teacher.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the registration of teachers in this State. The person referred to by the Deputy should continue to liaise with the Teaching Council regarding their application for registration as a teacher.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Universities Legislation (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 to 324, inclusive, and 326 together. Universities are independent and autonomous bodies under the statutory framework set out in the Universities Act, 1997 and on that basis are responsible for the conduct of their day-to-day affairs, including in relation to borrowing activities. The performance of this role is subject to appropriate governance,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Expenditure (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Section 49 of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 states that an Education and Training Board (ETB) may, with the consent of the Minister, accept a proposal, and borrow by means specified in the proposal, for the purposes of carrying out the functions of the board. In response to the question raised I can confirm that there are currently no moneys borrowed by any of the 16 ETBs. Some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions Governance (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy may wish to note that under the statutory framework set out in the Universities Act, 1997 universities are independent, autonomous and self-governed legal entities and are, therefore, responsible for all matters relating to their day-to-day operations and activities. Section 13 of the Universities Act, 1997 states that in furthering its objects and development, universities may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions Governance (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: There is a detailed framework in place, including for example, the requirements of Public Financial Procedures and the Code of Governance of Irish Universities, governing all expenditure by universities. Specifically, the Code of Governance for Irish Universities states that universities must abide by the Guidelines on Achieving Value for Money in Public Expenditure as set out in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 and 330 together. My Department already has a process underway with the higher education sector to compile information on projects delivered for the period since 2008. This process is nearing conclusion and will enable information for the period since 2008 to be provided to the Deputy in tabular format in the coming days. This process has required...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, Universities, Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous bodies as set out in the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Act 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. In that regard, the bodies in question are responsible for their day to day operations, including the procurement of goods and services; provision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The position is that higher education universities are autonomous institutions as provided for in the Universities Act 1997. Therefore, the criteria governing the level of tuition fees to be charged in the case of postgraduate study is solely a matter for the relevant institution to determine in line with its own criteria. Accordingly, my Department has no function in relation to such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents/guardians of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is a statutory body, the functions of which include planning and co-ordinating the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has recently received applications, for additional accommodation, under the Department's 'Additional School Accommodation Scheme' from the schools' in question. The applications for permanent accommodation are currently under assessment, as soon as the process has been completed the school authorities will be contacted directly. To ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The correspondence referred to by the Deputy has been received and a response will issue shortly in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The NCSE, an independent agency of my Department, is responsible for planning, coordinating and advising on education provision and support services for children with special educational needs, in consultation with the relevant education partners and the Health Service Executive (HSE). The Council ensures that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 May 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: Higher Education Authority Administration (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Although the publication of minutes of meetings of a State body is not a requirement under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016, I can advise the Deputy that my Department has been informed that it is the practice of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to post a record of meetings of the HEA Board periodically on the HEA’s website. I can confirm that a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (8 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to Donegal Education and Training Board (DETB). A meeting took place with DETB and its design team on 12th February last. At this meeting, the Stage 2A submission was presented. A number of design issued were identified with this submission. DETB is liaising closely with officials in my Department to...