Results 9,661-9,680 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Chairman and members of the committee for their contributions. There were a number of questions but there were a number of suggestions as well. That is helpful. As I stated at the outset, this committee did quite a bit of the heavy lifting around this issue. When one considers that the committee submitted its interim report in June - I propose to take the Chairman's last...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Yes, it would be treated as a suspension.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Yes, they have a right of appeal.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Yes, it is being used as a sanction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: That is what we are trying to do in this regard. We are trying to ensure that the information we have includes the scale and extent of the issue and to find out if there are resource deficiencies or a weakness within the school system. We are not informed at the moment because we have only anecdotal evidence. What we are trying to do is to ensure we get the process right first. That is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: No, my personal opinion is that a young person is a young person whether they he or she is male or female. This is about equal treatment for each individual.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: It is something to consider for inclusion. The Deputy also referred to the need for more consultation and suggested an annual report. The data we receive will be important in informing the Department as to where resources are needed and where they should be directed. She also raised the issue of capacity, which is something of which I am very conscious. We must ensure there is sufficient...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Deputy Ó Laoghaire spoke about anecdotal evidence, which I have covered. The Department is working on anecdotal evidence on this particular issue. I accept and agree with many of the recommendations in the guidelines, most of which came from the report. The Deputy referred to regulations versus guidelines. No matter what issue one is dealing with, it is usually, in the first...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I think I am required to deal with a Topical Issue matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Interim Report on Reduced Timetables: Minister for Education and Skills (24 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I was very obedient and switched my phone off. The Chairman asked me to do that.

Special Needs Education Places: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Fianna Fáil Deputies for raising this issue relating to the education provision for children with special education needs. Their tone has not been lost on me in this afternoon's debate. This is a serious issue. Fianna Fáil wants this Chamber to reflect on and debate this important matter and we are on the same page when it comes to the parents and children who are not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (25 Sep 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: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The tender documentation for the Building Project referred to by the Deputy is currently being prepared. It is anticipated that the Project will proceed to tender in Quarter 1 of 2020 with a view to being on site in Quarter 2 of 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The school referred to by the Deputy opened in temporary accommodation in September 2013. The amount spent to date on the provision of temporary accommodation, including site rental costs for the school is €3,160,330 inclusive of VAT. Of this amount, €1,199,291 has been spent on the rental of the site and rental of prefabs. The remainder is associated costs for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Administration (25 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for: (a) Early educational intervention for children with autism who meet the schemes eligibility criteria (b) Students with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school (c) Students, enrolled in schools, with significant medical conditions which has caused, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (25 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 83 together. Under Section 15 of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. A Board of Management's main function is to manage the school on behalf of the patron and for the benefit of the students and to provide an appropriate education for each student attending the school. Schools are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware the building project for the school in question is included on my Department's capital programme. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that agreement in principle has been reached on the proposed acquisition of a site that will accommodate both the school to which he refers and permanent accommodation for a local primary school. This acquisition is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approval and the preparation of tender documents. Statutory approvals in relation to the permanent new school build have been secured. Following the appointment of a replacement consultant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a 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 (NDP). A new site is required to facilitate this development and my Department has recently reached agreement in principle with the landowners for the acquisition of a site. In tandem with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (25 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware the building project for the school in question is included on my Department's capital programme. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that agreement in principle has been reached on the proposed acquisition of a site that will accommodate both the school to which he refers and a replacement building for an existing post primary school. This acquisition is currently...