Results 10,781-10,800 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (5 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a Class Size Working Group was established comprising representatives from the Education Partners, the Educational Research Centre and the relevant Business Units in my Department. This group has met on a number of occasions to consider class size in the context of improved learning outcomes of those most at risk of educational disadvantage. A report on the work...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (5 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department has no plans to engage with or promote any resources for schools that may be developed by the drinks industry. It is a matter for schools and teachers in the first instance to determine what resources and supports they will use to support their implementation of the curriculum. Teachers are equipped to make such decisions as a result of their initial teacher education and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (5 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is mandatory in all primary schools and in Junior Cycle. Relationships and Sexuality Education is mandatory up to and including Leaving Certificate but schools are also encouraged to deliver the SPHE programme in Senior Cycle. SPHE also forms part of the new mandatory 'Wellbeing' area of learning for the Junior Cycle which was introduced in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Data (5 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating Special Needs Assistat (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. The consideration of professional reports is an integral part of determining the extent of supports to be provided for pupils with special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that this project has been devolved for delivery to Westmeath County Council (WCC). The Deputy will also be aware that officials in my Department continue to support WCC in its engagement with the relevant contractor on progressing this project, including through a dispute resolution process under the Public Works Contract. The project has been delayed as it...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Data (5 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The cost of the maintenance grants in the academic year 2018/19 was €164m. Therefore, applying a 1%, 5% and 10% increase to the maintenance grants the estimated cost would be €1.6m, €8.2m and €16.4m respectively.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Data (5 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: SUSI does not collate data in the format request by the Deputy. Therefore, it is not possible to estimate cost the reducing the non-adjacent distance criterion from 1km to 2km, 10km and 15km. Budget 2011 provided for a number of student grant measures which came into effect for the 2011/12 academic year, including the change in the assessment of the qualifying distance criterion for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Data (5 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 to 129, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that there are various income thresholds used depending on the type of grant, family size etc. While SUSI has statistics on those students who have applied for grant support and can estimate with some degree of certainty, what impact changes to the thresholds might have for those students on lower...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter because it gives me the opportunity to set out to the House the position regarding second level places in Carrigtwohill and the wider east Cork area. This is a matter that the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, has raised with me on a number of occasions. It is an issue that Deputy Sherlock and his colleague from east Cork, Deputy O'Keeffe,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I understand the frustration and anxiety. Frustration builds if proper information is not given and communication channels are not kept open. That is why it is so important that Cork ETB and the officials in Tullamore continue to liaise with one another and continue to ensure that relevant information and updates are put out there. I am confident that is already happening. I am also...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue of delivering equality of opportunity in schools, DEIS. It is the main policy initiative of the Department of Education and Skills to address educational disadvantage at school level. The DEIS plan is based on the findings of an extensive review of the DEIS programme, which involved consultations with all relevant stakeholders. It sets out...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: Everything is on the table in terms of class size. That is the reason the working group was set up. It includes representatives from the social inclusion unit, the special education unit, the teacher allocation unit, the statistics unit, education stakeholders such as the INTO, the Irish Primary Principals' Network and the Catholic Primary School Management Association. Education and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application, for additional school accommodation, from the school authority in question. The application is currently being assessed and the school will be informed of the decision shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Dec 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application, for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). It is open to the school to apply under this scheme where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. The application form for this scheme is available on my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, agreement in principle has been reached with a landowner and a legal conveyancing process is currently underway in respect of the transfer of ownership of the selected site to The Minister. The site selection process undertook to examine all potential sites available, with particular consideration initially given to State-owned property, in line with protocols for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in the Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. This project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b) which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department recently received correspondence from the school in question requesting the provision of a new school building. The school is not currently included in my Department's Capital Programme. My Department will be in contact with the school authority to arrange a meeting early in the New Year in the Department's offices in Tullamore. In the meantime,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools. I have spoken to a number of staff about their employment conditions and understand the issues they have raised. In Budget 2020 I increased the number of secretaries and caretakers in certain schools, allowing schools with enrolments of 500-625 to fill secretary vacancies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: Discussions are ongoing between my Department and owner of the temporary school site for the school to which the Deputy refers. My Department will keep the school authorities fully informed as the discussions progress.