Results 10,041-10,060 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Curaclam Scoile (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I mí na Samhna na bliana anuraidh d'iarr mé ar an gComhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta (CNCM) athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an stair a bheith ina hábhar roghnach faoin gCreat nua don tSraith Shóisearach. D'iarr mé freisin ar CNCM a fháil amach cén tslí is fearr chun staidéar ar an stair inár scoileanna a chur...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Small Schools (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Budget 2020 has provided for improved teacher staffing levels for schools with four teachers or less.  This measure will see a more favourable pupil teacher ratio in small schools from September 2020.  This improved schedule will apply in two, three and four teacher schools and ensure one less pupil is required to retain/recruit a teacher. In addition, Budget 2020 is the third...

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

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has recently completed Stage 2(b) of architectural planning and has been progressed to tender stage. A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete. The estimated construction duration for this project is 18 months.  In regard to the site acquisition, good progress is being...

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

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has recently completed Stage 2(b) of architectural planning and has been progressed to tender stage. A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete. The estimated construction duration for this project is 18 months. The Deputy may be aware that the outcome of the re-commenced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Small Schools (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Rural schools make up the majority of our primary school sector: nearly 2,000 out of just over 3,100 schools. As such, I fully recognise their value to communities right across the country. They provide a vital link to local heritage and history, help sustain rural populations and often act as a link for sports and social activity. The majority of rural schools (over 1,200) are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Regulations (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that the Department commenced a programme of structural assessments in over 40 schools built by the company in late October last year.  At that time, a part of 1 school building was closed, immediate precautionary measures were put in place in 22 schools, with the remaining 17 schools not requiring immediate precautionary measures pending further detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Digital Strategy for Schools (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Considerable work has already been done in the development of curricula on digital literacy.  At both primary and post-primary levels considerable scope for building the capacity of students in the area of digital literacy is provided for through the emphasis on dispositions, competencies and skills as foundational elements of the curriculum.  Specifically, in the newly introduced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas Tríú Leibhéal (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Rinneadh an cinneadh le deontais do shocrúcháin Ghaeltachta a stopadh le linn na géarchéime eacnamaíochta nuair a bhí gá, ar an drochuair, le cinntí an-deacair a dhéanamh chun airgead an náisiúin a chobhsú. Mar sin féin, thuig mé go maith an dúshlán atá ann do mhic léinn i dtaca le costas an...

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

Joe McHugh: Budget 2019 provided for 950 additional SNA posts. To date over 900 of these posts have been allocated with the remainder expected to be allocated by the end of the year. By the end of this year, there will be up to 15,950 SNAs working in our schools, an increase of over 51% since 2011.   Budget 2020 has provided for 1,064 additional SNAs posts which will bring the total...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department administers a number of grants which together aim to improve and maintain school buildings and which can be used to address the issues raised. My Department's Emergency Works Grant is one such source of funding and its purpose is solely for unforeseen emergencies or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The development and financing of purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) in the University sector is a matter for the Universities themselves. Since the publication of Rebuilding Ireland in July 2016 2,508 PBSA bedspaces have been completed or are under construction within the universities.  There are an additional 3,100 bedspaces either within the planning process or at plans granted...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: University Global Rankings (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The private higher education ranking systems, of which there are many, each monitor different aspects of international higher education institutions.  In the most recent set of rankings (Times Higher Education global rankings) two Irish universities ranked lower than last year while three maintained and two increased their ranking band. Each of the systems award...

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

Joe McHugh: In terms of current projects at Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, 19 projects have recently been approved to Stage 2(b) and are at this latter stage of architectural planning for less than 1 year, 28 such projects have been progressing through the stage from 1-3 years, 15 projects have been progressing from 3-5 years, 8 further projects have been progressing from 5-7 years and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Leaving Certificate Music syllabus states clearly that: ‘Students will be expected to demonstrate an ability to input via electronic instruments (and/or conventional instruments with electronic controllers providing a midi interface) a musical score of at least two real parts.’ Turntables do not allow for the input of musical score, and are therefore not suitable for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Very significant levels of financial provision are made to ensure that all children with special educational needs can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs. My Department currently spends approximately €1.9 Billion or almost 20% of its total current educational and training budget annually on making additional provision for children with special...

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

Joe McHugh: The supplementary assignment arrangements for Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) were established on foot of proposals brought forward by the Labour Relations Commission when the Haddington Road Agreement was being agreed. These supplementary assignment arrangements for SNAs continue to operate under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018 - 2020, and both unions representing SNAs,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (17 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy is aware that my Department officials and I have engaged with City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) in relation to issues concerning youth services. My Department understands that the report referenced in the Deputy’s question is an internal organisational review conducted on foot of an agreement between CDETB and a staffing union relating to resources,...

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

Joe McHugh: The Major Project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at Stage 1 of architectural planning which entails preliminary design of site and location suitability and initial sketch scheme. A revised Stage 1 submission, including an up to date cost plan, was requested from the Design Team following an increase in the schedule of accommodation to cater for up to 1200 pupils. That submission...

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

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware the Comptroller and Auditor General included a chapter in its recently published Report on the Accounts of the Public Services 2018 on the purchase of sites for school provision.  As part of its review the C&AG selected the acquisitions of Roslyn Park, Sandymount, Dublin 4; Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6W and Cathal Brugha Street/Marlborough Street, D1 for...

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

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Design Team has confirmed that it is working on finalising the Stage 2(b) Report ensuring the new...