Results 8,741-8,760 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Places (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Having relatively high minimum entry requirements in core subject areas of Irish, English and Mathematics is one of the key policy levers that help ensure quality teaching and learning in primary schools.  The 2011 Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and subsequent review identified the need to raise standards of achievement and included decisions to raise the entry requirements in the core...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department has issued a reply to this Parliamentary Question directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's capital programme. A preferred site for the school has been identified and negotiations are ongoing at present. Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further details at this time.  I can assure the Deputy that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Digital Strategy for Schools (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the Digital Strategy for Schools, each school is expected to draw up a Digital Learning Plan using a whole school approach and taking account of its context and circumstances. Support and guidance for schools on developing their Digital Learning Plan can be found at . Direct school support is also available through the professional development support services for teachers (PDST) in...

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

Joe McHugh: Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is a matter for the Board of Management of each school. Where the introduction of digital devices is planned, consultation with members of the school community including parents is advised. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made. It is...

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

Joe McHugh: Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at post-primary, determined by the NCCA, the decisions on which textbooks to use, if any, in primary and post-primary schools are taken at school level. My Department does not generally approve, commission, sponsor or endorse educational textbooks or other materials.  The only requirement from the Department, on any resource used in a school,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Junior Cycle Reform (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am unclear as to what you are asking.  I have conferred with the NCCA, JCT and the Inspectorate and all have asked for clarification on the question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Digital Strategy for Schools (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Digital Learning Framework (DLF)  for Schools, developed in 2017 and which is currently being disseminated to all schools, was trialled in a cross sectoral representation of 50 schools during the 2017/2018 school year accompanied by an external evaluation conducted by the Education Research Institute (ERC). The ERC Evaluation Report, available at , concluded that overall the DLF...

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

Joe McHugh: This project is 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 secured. The Design Team is currently in the process of completing the Stage 2(b) report which is expected to be submitted shortly...

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

Joe McHugh: 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 similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals...

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

Joe McHugh: Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is a matter for the Board of Management of each school. Where the introduction of digital devices is planned, consultation with members of the school community including parents is advised. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made. It is...

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 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: Special Education Review (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Special Schools funded by my Department are intended to cater for children and young persons with complex special educational needs from the age of 4 years until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year. Some people with a disability, over the age of 18, and who have complex needs, may require specialised support throughout their lives.  Ongoing care and...

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

Joe McHugh: The Report of the Action Group on Access to Third Level Education made detailed recommendations concerning the introduction of special rates of maintenance grants for disadvantaged students. The target group of "those most in need" was defined in terms of the dependants of people receiving long-term welfare payments, where the necessary conditions are fulfilled. Thence, the income threshold...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: 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 Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b (Detailed Design).  The Stage 2(b) submission has been reviewed by my Department and comments have issued to the school and its Design Team. The Design Team is currently working on a submission to my Department outlining the steps required to achieve...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I recognise the very important work done by school secretaries, and indeed by other support staff, in the running of our schools and I am grateful to them for the contribution they make to our education system.  I have spoken to a number of school secretaries about their employment conditions and understand the issues they have raised. I have recently relaxed the moratorium for those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Digital Strategy for Schools (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: A key priority of the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 is the adaptation of the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for the Irish context drawing also from other relevant European and international digital competency frameworks. The localisation of these frameworks led to the development of the Digital Learning Framework (DLF) which is currently being disseminated to all schools. The DLF...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). I can inform the Deputy that the NDFA has started preparations for the appointment of a design team for the project.  This appointment will be a key first step in the design and construction stages.  While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (12 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,...