Results 10,841-10,860 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has submitted an application under Toilet Facilities under my Department's multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2020 onwards. The Deputy may be aware that I recently announced details of the 405 schools that will receive funding in summer 2020 under the summer works programme. Commensurate with the level of funding set aside...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application, under the Summer Works Scheme, from the school in question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 Dec 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 school building will...

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

Joe McHugh: A major school building project to provide new accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy has recently been authorized by my Department to proceed to tender for the appointment of a Main Contractor and Reserved Specialists. The closing date for the completed tender returns for the Main Contractor was originally the end of December, this has now been extended to early January....

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

Joe McHugh: In order to qualify for funding towards tuition fees, students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality or certain permission given by the Minister for Justice and Equality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. Where students...

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

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that the school to which she refers is among 40 schools in which structural and fire safety issues have been identified. All of these schools are included in my Department’s Schools Remediation Programme. Significant progress has been made on this Programme over the summer months. Permanent structural remediation work was carried out at 14 schools with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (10 Dec 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...

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

Joe McHugh: There are 120,000 staff paid on a fortnightly basis on the payrolls operated by my Department. The primary objective is to ensure that the staff are paid on time and correctly. My Department has a legal obligation with under Section 4 of the Payment of Wages Act to provide each school employee with a payslip. My Department is in compliance with this legislation. It is my...

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

Joe McHugh: The building project for this school has been devolved for delivery to Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB). LCETB is currently in the process of preparing a Stage 2(a) Report for review and assessment by my Department. As the project is at an early stage in the delivery process, it is not possible at this time to give a date for its completion.

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

Joe McHugh: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019 for 2 Mainstream Classrooms with en-suites and an assisted user WC. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. It is a matter for the school authority to progress the project in that context.

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

Joe McHugh: Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. With regard to the residency criterion, in order to be eligible for a grant, a "student", as defined in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011, must demonstrate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Services Staff (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I recognise the very important work done by school secretaries, caretakers and other support staff in the running of our schools. I have spoken to several school secretaries about their employment conditions and understand the issues they have raised. Earlier this year, I relaxed the moratorium for community, comprehensive and ETB schools with enrolments of 700 or more to allow them to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Services Staff (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I reiterate that the talks have not broken down or collapsed. We come to a solution or agreement when people are around a table. Yes, there was disappointment about what was on the table. The talks in the WRC are confidential and I do not participate in them. Following this week's meeting, both sides acknowledged that the talks have not collapsed. While the management side must now...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Services Staff (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: Negotiations are ongoing and the talks have not collapsed.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Services Staff (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I once again urge the Fórsa union to continue the talks. If they have not collapsed there is still an opportunity to find a solution.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: Officials from the Pension Unit of my Department contacted your office seeking clarification in relation to your question, from which I understand that the query relates to the spouse of a retired teacher, where the retired teacher divorced and re-married after retirement. In general the pension entitlements of spouses of retired teachers who retire in advance of a divorce from a first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The DEIS programme allows for a reduced class size in Urban Band 1 primary schools with the application of a preferential staffing schedule to these schools of 20:1 at junior classes and 24:1 at senior classes to support those students at the highest risk of educational disadvantage. As the Deputy may be aware, DEIS Plan acknowledges the allocation of teaching resources to DEIS primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: In order to qualify for funding towards tuition fees, students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality or certain permissions given by the Minister for Justice and Equality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. Where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions Staff (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the attached table. Data for Ireland is available from 2011 onwards. The latest internationally comparative data available relates to the period 2013 - 2017. Relevant data is sourced from Higher Education Authority and OECD sources as appropriate.