Results 9,361-9,380 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: If the maintenance grants and eligibility for full fees were reintroduced for postgraduate students, along similar lines to those for undergraduate students, the total estimated cost would be approximately €44m. This costing assumes that the actual number of postgraduate grant holders (2,194 in 2018/19) will increase to the level prior to the introduction...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Every 5% increase in the student maintenance grant would cost circa €8.5m. Therefore, the estimated cost of increasing the student maintenance grant rates by 5%, 10%, 15%, or 20% would cost in the region of €8.5m, €17m, €25.5m, or €34m respectively.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: In 2018/19, there were 21,870 students in receipt of the special rate of maintenance grant. Based on these statistics, the estimated cost of increasing the special rate of maintenance grant by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% would be circa €4.5m, €9m, €13.5m and €18m respectively.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: In 2018/19 there were 21,870 students in receipt of the special rate. Therefore, the cost of paying these students an additional €30 per week based on a 36 week period, would cost approximately €23.6m.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Assistance Fund (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) is designed to support students in third-level institutions who are experiencing exceptional financial need. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. The current allocation for SAF amounts to €9.1m therefore an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions Data (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The numbers of non-EU students enrolled in HEA funded higher education institutions over the five year period 2013/2014 to 2017/2018 is outlined in the following table - Domicile Group 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017 2017/2018 Total Non-EU 13,153 14,558 16,315 16,839 18,468 Full-time students 12,555 13,741 15,581 16,196 17,719 Part-time students 598 817 734...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under my Department's free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding towards tuition fee costs in respect of eligible students who are pursuing an approved full-time undergraduate courses of study in an approved institution in the State. The main conditions of the scheme are that students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Student costs vary considerably across the OECD, from countries such as the United States and England where tuition fees are at the highest levels to a number of EU countries where no tuition fees are payable by students. The OECD Report, “Education at a Glance 2018” provides data on the structure, finances and performance of education systems in the 35 OECD countries, and a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Private Schools (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Gross expenditure on the order of €95 million was incurred in 2018 on salaries for teachers and special needs assistants (including employer’s PRSI).  The total amount spent on Capital Expenditure (including ICT grants) in 2018 was on the order €0.958 million. If the parents of children in the fee charging sector chose to send their children to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Data (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Occupational Health (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: An Occupational Health Strategy is in place as a supportive resource for teachers.  The aim of this strategy is to promote the health of teachers in the workplace, with a focus primarily on prevention rather than cure. The Occupational Health Strategy comprises of the Employee Assistance & Wellbeing Programme (EAWP) and the Occupational Health Service.  EAP Consultants...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, this school was one of a number of schools for which a transfer to multi-denominational patronage was proposed this year.  Arrangements regarding staffing have been made by the outgoing and incoming patrons and I can confirm that the transfer of patronage has been effected.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Expenditure by the Department of Education & Skills on Lotus Notes Licences from 2009 to 2019 is as per the following spreadsheet. Expected expenditure on renewal of Lotus Notes Licences for the next five years is €115,000. Department of Education and Skills - Expenditure on Lotus Notes Licences Year Total 2009 €30,345.67 2010 €25,039.96 2010...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for this school 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 obtained. Following a legal challenge, authorisation to re-commence the pre-qualification...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352, 353 and 354 together. Under project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under project Ireland 2040. I wish to advise the Deputy that the current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoil Issues (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 355 and 356 together. My Department is currently considering a request from the school referred to by the Deputy for permanent recognition status.  Upon completion of the process, an official from my Department will contact the school authority directly. It is not possible at this point to indicate when a site will be acquired.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs. This includes taking account of the flow of students from primary into post primary. The NCSE works with families and schools to ensure that advance planning is in place so that schools in an area can,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As Minister I have a power under Section 37A of the Education Act 1998 to direct a school to provide additional provision where all reasonable efforts have failed.   The legislation provides for a very transparent series of steps which can ultimately lead to the issuing of a legally binding direction to a board of management.  The initial step in the process is for the NCSE to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Capitation funding is intended to contribute towards the cost of heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. Capitation funding provided to schools, including enhanced capitation grants for special classes, may be regarded as a common grant which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities. My Department recognises the need to improve capitation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: To date, in 2019, inspectors have conducted Evaluations of Provision for Pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN evaluations) in 41 schools, located throughout the country. This involved visits to 85 ASD special classes across these 41 schools.  The Inspectorate’s findings on the quality of education in these special classes were incorporated into the inspection reports on...