Results 9,501-9,520 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Budget 2019 marked the third year of a major reinvestment in education. The budget for the Department of Education and Skills has increased by €674 million this year, a 6.7% increase on last year. In total, the Education budget has increased by €1.7 billion compared to 2016. This school year sees the numbers employed in our schools reach the highest ever level. Over 1,300...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Administration (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department works closely with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which has responsibility for working with families and schools and for the provision and coordination of an adequate number of specialist educational places to meet local demand throughout the country. The NCSE has a national network of Special Educational Needs Officers (SENOs) to plan the necessary provision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding has been approved for the provision of one general classroom, three resource rooms, a two classroom SEN Base and ancillary accommodation at the school to which he refers. As the project has yet to proceed through the public procurement process, the value of the project is commercially sensitive. It is not possible to provide a timeline for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding has been approved for the provision of 7 general classrooms, 2 SET rooms, 1 Technical Graphics room, 2 Science laboratory with Preparation Area, 1 x Art/Crafts room and ancillary accommodation at the school to which the Deputy refers. As the project has yet to proceed through the public procurement process, the value of the project is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my officials have identified a number of potential site options for the school to which he refers. These are currently under consideration. While a site acquisition process is underway, given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time. However, I can assure the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: In May 2019, the Governments of Ireland and the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Common Travel Area, which affords, inter alia, that “Irish and British citizens have the right to access all levels of education and training, and associated student support, in each other’s state, on terms no less favourable than those for the citizens of that state.” This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Sep 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 (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the delivery of the project for Naas Community College has been devolved to Kildare and Wicklow Education & Training Board (KWETB). The project is still at tender stage and the Letter of Intent has not issued yet. It is expected that the project will commence construction towards the end of this year so that it will be completed before September 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the delivery of the Maynooth Campus project has been devolved to Kildare and Wicklow Education & Training Board (KWETB). I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the tender report for this project has been approved by my Department. The Letter of Acceptance has issued and construction commenced yesterday. It is expected that the project will be completed before...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 169 and 213 together The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design. The pre-qualification process to select a short-list of suitable contractors has been completed and the Design Team is currently finalising the tender documentation. Once this work is complete, my Department will be in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 170 and 214 together This building project referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The major building project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes securing Planning Permission,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 215 together The school building project to which the Deputy refers is currently on site. The first phase, consisting of the construction of the new 8 classroom school is due for completion in Quarter 4 2019. The second phase is due for completion in Quarter 2 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 216 together My Department is close to finalising the accommodation brief for the proposed building project at the school in question and will be in contact with the school authorities when this process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 217 together. Agreement in principle has been reached with a landowner for the acquisition of a site at Donaghcumper, Celbridge.As previously advised, there are technical considerations crucial to the delivery of the site and my Department continues to engage with the landowner and Kildare County Council on these issues in order to enable architectural...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 218 together The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design which includes the application for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos.175 and 219 together I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received an application, for major capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA), from the school in question.Officials from my Department have been liaising with the school authority in the context of seeking additional information to support the application. As...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Data (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: At the end of the 2018/19 school year there were approximately 15,030 SNA posts allocated to schools. I announced on 27thMay that 792 additional SNA posts will be allocated to schools for the beginning of the 2019/20 school year, with almost 130 additional posts expected to be allocated by December 2019. By the end of this year, there will be up to 15,950 SNAs working in our schools, an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Data (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: At the end of the 2018/19 school year there were approximately 15,030 SNA posts allocated to schools. I announced on 27thMay that 792 additional SNA posts will be allocated to schools for the beginning of the 2019/20 school year, with almost 130 additional posts expected to be allocated by December 2019. By the end of this year, there will be up to 15,950 SNAs working in our schools, an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Data (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: At the end of the 2018/19 school year there were approximately 15,030 SNA posts allocated to schools. I announced on 27thMay that 792 additional SNA posts will be allocated to schools for the beginning of the 2019/20 school year, with almost 130 additional posts expected to be allocated by December 2019. By the end of this year, there will be up to 15,950 SNAs working in our schools, an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grants Data (17 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The decision to stop the Gaeltacht placement grants was taken during the economic crisis when, unfortunately, very difficult decisions had to be made to stabilise the nation's finances. At the time, priority was given to protecting resources for front-line education services as far as possible. The annual cost of fully funding the reconfigured Gaeltacht Placement on primary initial...