Results 9,081-9,100 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Data (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Officials from my Department are collating the information sought in relation to the school referred to by the Deputy. I will arrange for the information requested to be forwarded directly to the Deputy at the earliest opportunity.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The patronage divesting process arises from the recommendations of the 2012 report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, following which the Department undertook surveys of parental preferences in 43 areas of stable population in 2012 and 2013 to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools within...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a major building project for the school to which he refers, is included in my Department’s school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan. In this regard, a project manager has been appointed to master plan the site to explore the feasibility of whether the accommodation needs of the school in question and an existing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Junior Cycle Reform (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: In November 2018 I requested the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to review the optional nature of history under the new Framework for Junior Cycle and, as part of this review, to identify how we can best promote the study of history in our schools. The NCCA Council considered this matter at its June meeting and the NCCA has this week sent its final report to my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Data (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, there are currently 896 schools in the DEIS Programme serving over 180,000 pupils. There are 359 rural DEIS primary schools, with approximately 27,000 pupils, and 339 urban DEIS primary schools, with approximately 83,000 pupils, in receipt of supports under the DEIS school support programme. There are 198 Post Primary schools with approximately 74,000 students in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Eligibility (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The location of a schools does not determine whether a school receives DEIS status. However, given educational disadvantage can manifest differently in urban and rural settings, urban DEIS schools receive more supports than rural DEIS schools. The list of supports is available at www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/DEIS-Plan-20 17.pdf. In relation to the criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Eligibility (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department is currently undertaking data analysis in the context of resource allocation to match identified need, including the examination of variables known to be strong predictors of educational disadvantage. All schools at both Primary and Post Primary are being assessed using the new identification model. This analysis is being carried out by members of the DEIS Technical Group...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Special Needs Assistants(SNAs) are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities who have additional and significant care needs in an educational context. They may be appointed to a special school or a mainstream school to assist school authorities in making suitable provision for a pupil or pupils with special care needs. The first priority is that the care needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Funding (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. My Department will reply directly to the Deputy as soon as the information has been compiled.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department does not have any remit for the provision of accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy. However, it is open to the school in question to explore with local schools in the area the possibility of using their buildings outside of school hours. As the Deputy may be aware my Department has a general policy of encouraging the use of school facilities by community and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: This is an issue on which I have worked closely with political representatives and school principals. Deputy Mattie McGrath is aware that I met the principals. He is also aware that the Department is carrying out an audit of DEIS status in the main. A lot of people believe the geographical basis of DEIS status is redundant. I agree with that analysis and I am working with my officials on...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The matter was the subject of a public meeting a few days before the local elections. An issue has arisen with respect to the architect, of which Deputy McConalogue will be well aware. We have reappointed an architect. The design of the school continues apace. We know as well that the standard of some of the prefabs is less than desirable. That is the reason we are committed to carrying...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: I confirm that the report has been forwarded. I am in the middle of reading it and I will consider its findings.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta fáchoinne an ábhair seo a ardú inniu. Ábhar iontach tábhachtach atá ann. Tuigim na deacrachtaí agus na míbhuntáistí atá i gceist agus tuigim an frustrachas atá ar an bpobal, ar na scoláirí, ar na tuismitheoirí agus ar na múinteoirí uilig sa cheantar. I thank the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: I will not repeat myself. I am sure the parents of children in the school do not want to hear the same thing over and over again. One thing I can say for certain is that this project is not out of sight or out of mind. It is on the radar and I know the Deputy will keep it there. On the Deputy's question on equipment, departmental officials asked the school to evaluate or assess which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Jul 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 30th September. The school referred to by the Deputy is due to have one teaching post suppressed due to a fall in enrolments in September 2018.   The staffing process includes an appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm that my Department received an application in March 2019 for a general purpose room from the school referred to by the Deputy. The immediate priority of my Department is providing 20,000 new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place.   As the Deputy is aware my Department is committed to a PE Hall build and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The proposed development of Shielbaggan Outdoor Centre on Forth Mountain, County Wexford is by means of a partnership between Waterford and Wexford ETB and Wexford County Council. The Forth Mountain Outdoor Education and Training Centre referred to by the Deputy is being purpose built by Wexford County Council and there has been consultation between Waterford and Wexford...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. The National council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent statutory body whose functions include planning and co-ordinating...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that it is standard practice that a Clerk of Works is appointed on all major school building projects when the project is progressing to site. The current position with respect to Additional Accommodation projects is that a Clerk of Works is provided where warranted based particularly on the scope and scale of the relevant project.  Requests for...