Results 9,601-9,620 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Different State support schemes have different objectives. The main objective of the Department's statutory based Student Grant Scheme is to provide assistance where parental income is below a certain threshold or in the case of independent mature students, where the level of income of the student and his or her spouse warrants additional assistance by way of a grant. The Student Grant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (18 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department's Design & Build programme.  This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction.  A meeting was held between Department officials and representatives of the Board...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can inform the Deputy that discussions are ongoing with the relevant stakeholders in relation to providing a new building for the school in question. In the meantime, my Department is currently considering an application from the school under the Emergency Works Scheme to carry out necessary repair works to their existing building.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Compensation Schemes (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Compensation payments are being made to a number of victims of child sexual abuse in day schools on foot of the assessments made by the person referred to by the Deputy. The current position is that sixteen offers of payment have been made and, to date, seven have been accepted.I am hopeful that the remaining applicants would also accept a payment from the existing scheme. The existing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Administration (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government contains a commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households. In meeting this commitment, additional funding of €7m was secured in Budgets 2017 and 2018 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants from September 2017, for the most...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department provides funding for Secretary, Caretaker and Cleaner posts in the Community, Comprehensive (C&C) and Education and Training Board (ETB) Sectors. A recruitment moratorium was introduced in the Public Service in 2009. This applied to Secretary, Caretaker and Cleaner posts in both Sectors. Alleviation measures were put in place which permitted schools to fill Clerical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Facilities (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Confucius Institute of Ireland at University College Dublin was completed and opened for the commencement of the 2018/19 academic year. The total cost of the project was €11.7m. The Exchequer contribution provided for the project was €3m and this amount has been fully drawn down.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Private Partnerships (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Schools Bundle 5 Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme comprises five school buildings and one further education college across four sites in Bray, Wexford, Carlow and Kells.  Completion of these projects was delayed due to the liquidation of Carillion Construction Ltd in January 2018 and the examinership and subsequent liquidation of Carillion’s sub-contractor,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The refurbishment of the North & South Blocks at DKIT will be delivered in phases over the period to 2023, with most work undertaken over the summer holiday periods.  It is anticipated to proceed to tender stage in Q2 2020 with work commencing in Q3 2020. The total project cost is estimated in the region of €18.5m. No Exchequer funding has been drawn down to date.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Planning permission for the Sports Science, Health & Recreation Building at TU Dublin Tallaght Campus has been granted.  The Institute has recently received approval to proceed to tender.  Construction will commence after the tender process has been completed. The total project cost is estimated in the region of €14.7m with €559,000 in exchequer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Facilities (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The project to which the Deputy refers is anticipated to proceed to tender stage in Q2 2020.  The project is approved in principle for an exchequer contribution of €15m. Subject to no unforeseen circumstances, it is envisaged that the project will be completed in Q3 2022. The total project cost is estimated in the region of €60m. No exchequer funding has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can advise that the enabling works element of phase 1 of the Coonagh Campus upgrade has been completed.The fit out element of phase 1 is due to go to tender in Q4 2019.  The total project cost is estimated in the region of €11.6m with €4.75m of Exchequer funding drawn down to date.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together. I hosted a Small Schools Symposium in June attended by CPSMA, Church of Ireland Board of Education, Gaeloideachas, National Association of Board of Management in Special Education, An Foras Pátrúnachta, Educate Together, Muslim Primary Education Board, Education and Training Boards Ireland, Laois and Offaly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology Staff (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I attach in the link below the data collated by the Higher Education Authority on Waterford Institute of Technology staff members currently undertaking full, part-time and modular courses, degrees, masters or doctorates by the name of the course and the institution in which the staff member is undertaking the course for the Deputy's information.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together. Civil Servants at my Department are subject to the terms of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour.  Section 20 of the said Code addresses the matter of officials engaging in private sector employment or in consultancy work following resignation or retirement. I trust the Deputy will appreciate that it would take...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am aware of the tragic circumstances of the project to which the Deputy refers which, as a Summer Works Scheme project, has been devolved to the school for delivery. I share fully the Deputy's concerns and his desire to progress this project as a matter of urgency. The school authority is, of course, of the same mind. In that respect, the school and its design...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Admissions (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to outline the Department's position on primary school places in the Rathcoole area. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Admissions (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I appreciate the sense of urgency. I also appreciate the intensity of development in different parts of the country and obviously in the Newcastle, Saggart and Rathcoole area. That is a school planning area. I deliberately separated out Rathcoole in my second last paragraph.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Admissions (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The former Deputy, Frances Fitzgerald, MEP, and Deputy Curran have outlined very clearly that there is a distinct need in that particular area. We are reviewing the potential to establish a new primary school in Rathcoole. That means collecting as much data as possible from planning permissions for future developments as well as for ongoing developments. I know he is not talking about the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects Status (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House on the position with respect to Holy Family national school in Mullingar. The House will recall that there have been significant delays in the delivery of this project. These delays arose initially because of unforeseen ground conditions and other similar issues that can arise on any building project. However, in recent months, I...