Results 8,681-8,700 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Participation (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The information requested by the Deputy for the years 2012 - 2017 is available in the table. Data for the 2018/2019 academic year is being finalised and will be available later this year. These figures include students enrolled at HEA-funded institutions only. - Academic Year Level/Mode 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 Full-time Postgraduate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am delighted to confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers was successful in obtaining grant funding under the 2019 Summer Works Scheme.  This project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery.  Payment of the grant will be made to the School Authority in two moieties. The first payment will be for 70% of the grant amount, when the works have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: In Budget 2015, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced that the existing Employment Control Frameworks (ECF) and associated moratoriums would be lifted and replaced with a system of delegated sanction for managing public service staffing numbers, subject to pay ceilings and other controls.  This arrangement was put in place for the Education Sector in November 2015...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Points System Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Universities and Institutes of Technology in Ireland are statutorily independent higher education institutions.  Admission is a matter for each individual institution and the Department of Education and Skills 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Data (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The main support available to students is the statutory based SUSI grant scheme. In general, persons with refugee, subsidiary protection or leave to remain status can access the same supports as Irish nationals. Persons in the asylum process are not eligible to access the statutory based SUSI grant scheme. However, the administratively based Pilot Support Scheme provides supports along...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Qualifications Recognition (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The recognition of prior learning (RPL) describes a process used to evaluate knowledge or skill acquired outside the formal education system for the purpose of recognising competence against a given set of standards, competencies or learning outcomes.  Under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 individuals including asylum seekers and refugees...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Officials from my Department are looking into this matter and will respond to the Deputy directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the Teaching Council Acts the Teaching Council is, since 2006, the body with statutory authority for the registration of teachers. My Department does not have any direct involvement in the registration of teachers by the Teaching Council. The charging of a registration fee is standard among professional regulatory bodies. The fee for initial registration with the Teaching...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (11 Jun 2019)

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: Physical Education Facilities (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department provides funding toward the provision of furniture and equipment including PE equipment in both primary and post-primary schools. In relation to post-primary schools, where my Department provides a sports hall as part of a building project, the equipment provided forms part of the overall furniture and equipment grant to that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Childcare Services Provision (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Ministerial responsibility for the Childcare regulations concerned rests with my colleague Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, Katherine Zappone T.D.  I understand that it is not expected that the new inspection and regulatory environment introduced for childcare providers will result in an overall reduction in the number of school-age childcare places.  A public...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (11 Jun 2019)

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 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: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am aware of the delays in the project to which the Deputy refers which, as he knows, has been devolved for delivery to Westmeath County Council (WCC).   Significant delays have been experienced in delivering this project.  These arose initially because the contractor encountered bad unforeseen ground conditions together with severe weather events last year. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am aware of the delays in the project to which the Deputy refers which, as he knows, has been devolved for delivery to Westmeath County Council (WCC).   My Department has worked closely with the school authorities and the patron of both schools in question to put in place contingency arrangements in the event that the project is delayed beyond September...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Starting Age (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: In accordance with the Education Welfare Act, 2000 the compulsory school starting age in a National School is 6 years of age and the Rules for National Schools provide that a child must be at least 4 years of age before he/she may be enrolled in a National School. If children are not in school by 6 years of age the Education Welfare Service must be satisfied that the child is receiving a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can advise the Deputy that an application for funding under the Department's Emergency Works Scheme was submitted by the school to which he refers. This application, to replace its floors, was deemed to be outside the terms of the scheme and was refused.  The correct mechanism for applying for funding for works of this nature is my Department's Summer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 238 together. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for organising and planning provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special classes in mainstream primary and post primary schools. Since 2011, the NCSE has increased the number of special classes from 548 in 2011 to 1,459 for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: In April 2018, my Department approved funding for the provision of one additional classroom and one Special Education Teaching room together with a WC for assisted users at the school to which the Deputy refers. A Stage 2a submission (detailed design) for this project was received in my Department in February, 2019. This was assessed at that time and, following on from this, revised plans and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I fully recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools. In the period 2011 to 2015 the capitation and related grants for schools were reduced by just over 11% in aggregate.   I am pleased to have been able to provide for a 5% increase in capitation funding for primary and post primary schools that will apply from the start of the 2019/20 school year. Over the course of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scoileanna DEIS (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Tá mo Roinn i mbun anailísiú sonraí i láthair na huaire i gcomhthéacs acmhainní atá le leithroinnt d'fhonn riachtanas a shainaithnítear a mheaitseáil, lena n-áirítear athróga a scrúdú arb eol iad a bheith ina réamh-mheastóirí maithe maidir le míbhuntáiste oideachais.  Tá...