Results 11,161-11,180 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: Gabhaim buíochas le mo chomhghleacaithe uilig as an seans labhairt leo inniu faoi na príomhrudaí a bhaineann leis an oideachas. Ar dtús báire, ba mhaith liom focal pearsanta a rá leo maidir leis an chaidreamh dhearfach a bhí eadrainn thar na laethanta agus na seachtaine seo a chuaigh thart agus maidir leis an eolas, comhairle agus rudaí mar sin....

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: That is all right.

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: Yes. I will be as brief as possible. I apologise for Deputy Byrne not getting the briefing. I will ensure that it happens. The clarity that was asked of me at the briefing on 1 April when we were all on a web conference was about whether the leaving certificate would be going ahead in June. The demand made of me that day was that clarity was needed ASAP, be that the next day or...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy raised the issue of fees to be paid at the end of the month. We will extend that date until after the exams. This is only fair and I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. With regard the structure and timetabling of exams, I have set up an advisory group to work on this. The advisory group has already met and will meet again tomorrow. It will meet twice a week. It...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: On the first issue, that individual is one of 4,000 people who have applied to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is a major issue and that is why I picked up the phone to the Secretary of State for Education in London, Gavin Williamson. My Department's Secretary General is in contact with his counterpart in London as well, and I have written formally to the Northern Ireland...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: This is an incredibly important issue. Like the Deputy, I am getting a lot of direct contact, primarily from students but from some parents as well. There is much stress and anxiety. There is the shock that people are dealing with but there is also the shock of not knowing where we will be in September, October or November, never mind where we will be next week. There is uncertainty in...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: The significant dates are that the leaving certificate is to start on 29 July. We are working on the timetable, which is important. As outlined earlier, that is going to be tested through the advisory group in the context of how we work within the public health advice. The Deputy asked when that will be ready, and it will be in the first week of June. Tomorrow week is 1 May, so, four...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: All the conversations we are having are through the dedicated advisory group. As recently as last Friday, the Irish Second-Level Students Union raised issues such as plan B and what are the contingencies, such as contingencies for sickness or bereavement. All of these pertinent questions are being asked. We are going to work on the contingencies and we will not go into this in a blinkered...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: Again, that is one of the questions to be explored by the working group. The group will be very busy. It will be meeting formally twice a week but there will be a constant conversation in between. Again, we are not - and, as Minister for Education and Skills, I certainly am not - going to put any student in jeopardy in terms of his or her health or healthcare needs. While the group works...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: The first point the Deputy raised was about additional needs and resource hours. We issued guidelines yesterday to all schools and principals to ensure that we connect with our most vulnerable students. That attention to detail will continue. Second, many of our SNAs have already been engaged in ensuring that continuity of connection between their students within schools. The feedback we...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: On the continuation of work, whether it is tendering within the Department, the building unit in Tullamore or land procurement, that work is ongoing. Any work we can do while complying with social distancing continues. Regarding the specific issues the Deputy raised, once construction is allowed again we will be in a position to move on a number of projects, but I will refer back to the...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising this question and for his ongoing engagement on these issues. He is correct that when the first announcement was made the school bus operators were paid 100% and after the extension of the closure they were paid 50%. I have had discussions with officials about this and it is only right that bus operators be paid up to the end of term, irrespective of schools...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: That is still the case. If there is a further update on that I will refer back directly to the Deputy.

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: I thank Deputy Burke for the issues he has raised and also the point about the leaving certificate fee. I am announcing today the extension of the late payment for the leaving certificate fee until after the leaving certificate exams. I take the Deputy's point on the difficulties some families will experience and are experiencing with financial pressures. This has been an item at nearly...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. I concur with her introductory comments regarding front-line workers. If I do not get through all of this, I will ask for a direct response to be organised for her. The postponement of the leaving certificate was the first issue raised. One of the things we attempted to do was to bring clarity around whether it was happening in June or not. The...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising a number of issues. Let us be very clear on the date. He is correct in what he says about a public forum on Tuesday night. What I said exactly was that the provisional date we were looking at was 29 July and I said I would confirm that in a couple of days. It has been a couple of days, so I confirm in the House tonight that 29 July is the start date. The...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy expanded on a couple of major points, particularly the leaving certificate. He may have entered into dealing with where we need to go with the leaving certificate in the future in terms of the leaving certificate review. I have no doubt he will add to that debate when it arises. There is no doubt that future leaving certificates will have to be different from those in the past...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: It does not appear to be enough but how many of those 160 students are leaving certificate students?

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: That school will have to work on the basis that some students will have access to the technology but there could be unique situations whereby none of the students have access to it.

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy knows the details so maybe the best thing would be for him to send me on the specific details of that school and I would be happy to respond.