Results 10,501-10,520 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Submissions (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 162 together. My Department did not make a formal submission to Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) on their draft Strategy 2020 - 2025. However, officials from my Department and the Higher Education Authority met with officials from SFI on 30 September 2019 and discussed the draft Strategy. My Department wrote to SFI following this meeting outlining...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Administration (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department did not issue instruction to the NCSE to delay the processing of Home Tuition application forms.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: A response has issued to all correspondence received to date from the school referred to by the Deputy. The current position in relation to this school's major building project is that it is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Retirements (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: As indicated in a previous response to the Deputy earlier this year, for the purposes of the annual Estimates process, my Department makes forecasts, based on trend analysis, of the scale of teacher retirements expected for the following year. Forecasting retirements in the education sector is complex, there are many social, economic and personal factors which influence teachers as to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The fitness to teach provisions of the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 were commenced on 25 July 2016. Any person, including a member of the public, an employer or a teacher is able to make a complaint to the Teaching Council about a registered teacher. Complaints are possible under a number of headings, including professional misconduct or poor professional performance. The Deputy will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Data (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Administrative Leave is a temporary leave of absence, with pay, which may be granted where it is necessary for a teacher to be absented from work in order that an investigation be carried out. It may only be granted in limited situations where the continued presence of a teacher (including the principal teacher) has the potential to present an on-going risk such as situations concerning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Through the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department of Education and Skills provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary and post primary schools, and some 98% of schools are included in this scheme. In some cases schools may choose to engage broadband providers outside of the DES programme where they may have a relationship with a local provider not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The NCSE’s Policy Advice Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Schools (2015) recommended that the Department of Education & Skills develop guidelines for schools on the prevention and management of crisis student behaviour situations in schools. Having considered the matter, my Department undertook to develop new guidelines for schools on the prevention and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Over 80% of mainstream Primary Pupils are in classes of 29 or less. Please note this percentage is for the academic year 2018/19 which is the last year we have confirmed figures for. This figure also excludes special pupils in mainstream schools. Figures for mainstream schools class sizes can be found at the link below;

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The following table sets out details of current expenditure from the Department of Education and Skills Vote (Programme C) and Higher Education funding form the National Training Fund in the years 2015 to 2020. All items not marked as NTF are exchequer funded. 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Outturn ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: As Minister for Education & Skills, I am committed to continuing the process of investing in our higher education system and to the development and implementation of a sustainable funding model for the sector. As part of the 2020 budget process, an additional €112m was committed which represents additional investment in higher education. €26m of Exchequer funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 168 together. Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is a statutorily independent State Agency. The day to day operations of the Agency, including the recruitment and appointment of staff, are a matter for the Chief Executive and senior management of QQI. QQI has an established recruitment policy and corresponding procedures which govern such matters.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities Funding (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that co-funding of €7.7m has been approved in principle by my Department for allocation to the new Sports Science, Health and Recreation building at the TU Dublin Tallaght campus. The balance of funding for the project is being provided from TU Dublin’s own resources. Planning permission for the building has been granted and the main project is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that applications for the Summer Works Scheme 2020 onwards are still under consideration in my Department. A list of successful applicants will be published in Q4 2019 for works to be carried out in summer 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has been approved a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018. This project will provide for 9 Mainstream classrooms, 9 WC's, 1 Assisted Users WC, 2 Science Labs and Prep Area, and 1 x 119m2 Arts & Crafts Room. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. It is a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together. Safety is the number one priority for my Department since the structural and fire safety issues, which are the subject matter of the Deputy’s Parliamentary Questions, arose and I am pleased to be able to inform him that significant progress has been made on the remediation programme for the 40 schools involved. A...

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

Joe McHugh: As autonomous, independent Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) established under statute, it is a matter for the governing body of each Institute of Technology (IoT) to set its own strategic direction. I understand that Dundalk IT is currently undertaking a strategic planning consultation process with a view to producing its 2020 – 2023 strategic plan by year’s end. The...

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

Joe McHugh: Institutes of Technology such as Dundalk IoT are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006. Day to day operations, including the filling of vacancies, are therefore a matter for the institute concerned. It should also be noted that the Code of Governance for Institutes of Technology advises that while the secretary of the Governing Body...

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

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 178, inclusive and 244 to 246, inclusive, together. The school to which the Deputies refers opened under the patronage divestment process in 2015 and is currently in interim accommodation pending delivery of the school's permanent accommodation. Under the patronage divesting process, a school can be opened where a school building became, or was due to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The provision of education for children with special needs, including those with Autism, is an ongoing priority for Government. Currently, almost 20% of the total Education Vote or €1.9bn is invested in supporting children with special needs. Since 2011 investment in Special Education supports has increased by 50%, which is significantly above the 7% increase in total student...