Results 9,761-9,780 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Industrial Action by School Secretaries: Statements (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I want to update the House. Following discussion with Fórsa late this evening, I can say the following. The Department acknowledges that Fórsa lodged a claim in respect of school secretaries and caretakers following on from a 2015 arbitration finding which expires at the end of 2019. The Department regrets that the union is now engaging in industrial action. As is normal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Since my appointment as Minister for Education and Skills I have met with a number of Teaching Principals and I appreciate the pressures they face. In Budget 2019, school leadership is again supported with an additional release day for teaching principals in primary schools and a further four additional release days for teaching principals in schools with special classes. These additional...

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

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a major capital project for the school in question is included in my Department's school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan. This project necessitates the acquistion of a new site and a number of site options were identified by Galway Co. Council.  These were comprehensively assessed and a preferred site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (2 Oct 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: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The purpose of my Department’s Assistive Technology Scheme, as set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013, is to provide grant-aid to schools to allow them to purchase the type of specialist equipment which has been recommended by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) as being essential for students who have been diagnosed as having a serious physical disability...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Living Wage (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department issues Circulars detailing pre-determined salary scales which are negotiated at central level.   I am advised that all staff paid on payrolls operated by my Department are paid in excess of €12.30 per hour. There are also a significant cohort of staff paid directly by Agencies and/or Bodies coming under the aegis of my Department.  Information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (2 Oct 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...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Second Stage (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Tá áthas orm a bheith sa Teach Uachtarach chun an píosa reachtaíocht thábhachtach nua seo, sé sin an Bille Oideachais (Cairt Mac Léinn agus Tuismitheoirí) 2019, a thabhairt go dtí an Dara Céim. It is nice to be back here. While this is normally not done until the end of a debate, when a Bill is successful, I thank the teams of officials in...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Second Stage (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My reply to the debate may be brief as I am due to be in the Dáil at 5 p.m. If the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, appears, I will disappear. Rather than read the prepared concluding speech, I will take the time to make a few points. First, I welcome greatly the tone and approach of the House to the Bill, on which we will work together. There are areas where we can try to meet,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (3 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that in relation to school admissions, parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available, the pupil should be admitted.  However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process may be necessary.  This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (3 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that an application for External Environment Projects (Category 10) has been received from the school authority, in question, under my Department's multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2020 onwards. I wish to advise that commensurate with the level of funding available for SWS in 2020, applications will be assessed on a top down basis in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Completion Programme (3 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved to Westmeath County Council (WCC) for delivery.  The Deputy will know that I am very familiar with the issues that have arisen with this project. I can now inform him that senior officials from my Department and Westmeath County Council (WCC) met with the relevant contractor last...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Promotions (3 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department has a small regional office in Mullingar and therefore it is unlikely that too many vacancies will arise at Executive Officer level  in the immediate future.  However, two of our three main offices are located nearby in Tullamore and Athlone.  Vacancies for administrative grades in my department are filled through the Public Appointments Service...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (3 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The key objective of the EXPLORE initiative is to create a potential new solution to help address the issue of Ireland’s low level of participation in lifelong learning among the Irish workforce, particularly targeting persons over 35 years of age with low skills including digitial skills in manufacturing employment. It seeks to:   -address the lack of digital skills in this...

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

Joe McHugh: My Department, following extensive consultation with ETBI, published a Code of Practice for the Governance of Education and Training Boards in January of this year.  The Code reflects the current regulations and the latest edition of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.  The Code provides for...

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

Joe McHugh: After every Local Authority elections, the ETB boards are replenished with 21 members appointed. Section 30 (1) (d) of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 specifies that 5 members of nominated bodies shall be appointed to ETB boards. There are 3 categories of bodies representing the following groups: - Business, industry and employers; - Learners; - Management of or Leadership in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pyrite Issues (3 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: These issues are being dealt with under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme. In that context, approval was given recently for works to take place under the scheme. At the same time, the school is progressing with its application for works under Additional Accomodation Scheme. Officals in my Department have been in contact with it recently in that respect.   Once the presence...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (3 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (3 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that the project to which he refers is a Summer Works Scheme project and has been devolved for delivery to the school authority in that context. He will also be aware from my previous response that the issues to which he refers, that were precipated by tragic circumstances on site, are being addressed by the school authority and its design team as a matter of...