Results 10,821-10,840 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (10 Dec 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. Earlier in the year, I hosted a symposium on Small Schools which gave me an opportunity to restate the Government’s commitment to small schools and to open a dialogue with all the key stakeholders. The purpose of this work by the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising Campaigns (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Department is currently in the process of planning its advertising campaigns and event launches for the first six months of 2020. As these are not yet fully planned a breakdown with budgeted costs is not available at the moment. A response will issue directly to the Deputy once all the information is collated.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Data Sharing Arrangements (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: As a controller of personal data, my Department maintains a number of data sharing agreements with other Government Departments and other public bodies but has no data sharing agreements with non-public bodies. As required by article 28 of the General Data Protection Regulation, my Department does include certain data processing requirements in contracts where its service providers are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information Data (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department reports annually to both the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of the Information Commissioner on Freedom of Information activity. The Office of the Information Commissioner publish this data in its annual report and the annual reports are available on the OIC’s website - / The following table outlines the information requested. FOIRequests -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has recently received an application, from the school in question, for capital funding for the provision of a PE Hall. Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Review (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, following the review of DEIS, my Department introduced an objective, statistics based model for assessing which schools merited inclusion in the DEIS Programme. All schools at both Primary and Post Primary level are being assessed using this new methodology based on their enrolments from 2018/19 and the latest data available from Census 2016 under the HP...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Review (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Educational Research Centre (ERC) administers the OECD’s Programme for International Assessment (PISA) in nationally representative samples of students aged 15. The study is conducted every three years since 2000, and assesses reading literacy, mathematics and science. The ERC identified an error in the course of a review of PISA 2015 data. The error referred to by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department does not hold records regarding payments collected from or made to parents, as the case may be. Section 64 of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, which is operational since October 2018, explicitly prohibits the charging of fees or seeking payment or contributions for admission to or for continued enrolment in a school. Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Homelessness Strategy (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department is represented on the Homelessness Inter-Agency Group (HIAG) which was established by the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to bring about greater coherence and coordination in the provision of homelessness related services across the relevant Government organisations. Actions to support children who are experiencing homelessness are being advanced through this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in contact with the patrons of the three schools in question, in relation to a proposed amalgamation of the schools. I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision making authority for any amalgamation belongs to the Patron/Trustees of the school, and this is subject to the approval of the Department. Any proposed change involves...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Agencies Data (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The information sought by the Deputy, in regard to the agencies under the remit of my Department, is contained in the following table. State Bodies are required to follow the terms of the 2016 Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and other Department of Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform guidance, where appropriate. In the 2016 Code of Practice for the Governance...

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

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, in relation to the school to which he refers, my Department has approved funding for a permanent extension consisting of 3 general classrooms, 3 SET/offices, science laboratory and prep area, art room and toilets. This funding is being provided under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019. I can also inform him that, pending the delivery of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached tabular statement. Staffing in the Department of Education and Skills – 2014 to date End 2014 End 2015 End 2016 End 2017 End 2018 To date - 2019 Staffing Numbers (*FTE) 1185 1205 1242 1319 1372 1427 ...

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

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional accommodation from the school in question. The application is being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.

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

Joe McHugh: Under project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under project Ireland 2040. I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under project...

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

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that an exercise is currently in train to develop a master plan layout for the proposed site. A project manager has been appointed to develop the masterplan. The process also includes engagement with the relevant education stakeholders and local authority. The master planning process is well advanced at this point. The outcome of this process will determine the next...

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 currently considering the temporary accommodation needs of the school in question and will be in further contact with the school authority in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) is the main policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level. In order to tackle educational disadvantage, the DEIS programme provides for smaller class sizes and other supports including additional teaching posts, Home School Community Liaison Coordinators, DEIS grants,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as an independent student or a dependent student. An applicant’s class is defined at his/her first point of entry or re-entry to an approved course and will continue for the duration of his/her studies. In order to be classified as an independent applicant a student must: - Be over 23 years...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Appeals (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I have been advised by my officials that an appeal has been submitted by the student in question to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board (SGAB). Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that the SGAB will make a determination on this case within the statutory time period on or before the end of January 2020.