Results 11,401-11,420 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Return to Work Safely Protocol was published on 9 May 2020 by the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation and queries in regard to its application to any particular sector are appropriate to her Department. In regard to the education sector, there were circa 200 projects on site in early 2020 and in accordance with public health advice, work on projects ceased in March 2020. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: Information in relation to consultancy expenditure in my Department is compiled annually in respect of the previous year. The data in respect of 2020 will be available in early 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that all schools are encouraged to use Individual Education Plans to assist in providing educational supports for children with special educational needs. The Department of Education and Skills Inspectorate's advice is that the majority of schools are now using some form of individual education planning for children with special needs. The Guidelines for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: As part of the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 - Enhancing Teaching, Learning and Assessment, funding of €210m for ICT Infrastructure will be distributed by my Department to primary and second level schools over the five years of the Strategy. €110m has issued over the last three years and a further €40m has recently been issued. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I established the Advisory Group for Contingency Planning for State Examinations 2020 to identify and advise myself, the Department and the State Examinations Commission on arrangements for the running of the 2020 state examinations, the certification of students’ learning in 2020 and any consequential actions arising. The Group contains representatives of students, parents, teachers,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that decisions in relation to schools re-opening and operating will be underpinned by the ongoing advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and the Department of Health. Engagement is underway with stakeholders in the education sector to develop contingency plans for the re-opening and operation of schools, including schools for children with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159, 226, 240, 251, 253, 257, 268, 274, 282, 284, 298, 304, 311, 315, 328, 330, 355, 364 and 391 together. Where a student is studying one or more subjects outside of a recognised school, my Department will be flexible in accepting estimated marks and rankings from other schools or colleges, and will look at this issue on a case-by-case basis. In general,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together. As part of planning for the State examinations, I established an advisory group of stakeholders, including representatives of students, parents, teachers, the management and leadership of schools, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the State Examinations Commission, and officials of my Department, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: As I announced on Friday 8th May, a decision has been made to postpone the Leaving Certificate and to offer students a system of calculated grades. These calculated grades will form the basis of admission to further and higher education in the same way that Leaving Certificate grades are used. Students’ calculated grades will be transferred directly to the CAO, in the same way that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 186 together. As I announced on May 8th, the Leaving Certificate 2020 examinations have been postponed. Students will now be offered the option of availing of a Leaving Certificate based on calculated grades. They will also have the opportunity to sit the exams at a later date when it is safe to do so.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that decisions in relation to schools re-opening and operating will be underpinned by the ongoing advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and the Department of Health. Engagement is underway with stakeholders in the education sector to develop contingency plans for the re-opening and operation of schools, including schools for children with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced the postponement of the 2020 Leaving Certificate examinations. Revised arrangements are being put in place to offer students the option of Calculated Grades for the 2020 Leaving Certificate but also to guarantee them the right to sit the examinations at a later stage when it is safe to hold them in the normal way.  Engagement is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: Under the statutory framework provided in the Technological Universities Act 2018, two or more Institutes of Technology (IoTs) may jointly seek TU designation through a prescribed legislative process. Section 29 of the 2018 Act provides for the application jointly by two or more applicant institutes to the Minister of Education and Skills for an order seeking designation as a TU subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department is working with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. I understand based on the information available to me that the majority of students in university-owned accommodation will receive pro-rata refunds if they have vacated their accommodation.  I have called on the University of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together. I am aware of the University of Limerick's intention to offer twin rooms as part of their on-campus accommodation. Based on the information available to me, I understand that this decision was made in order to increase the supply of accommodation available to students. Universities are autonomous bodies under the meaning of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Department of Education and Skills does not hold the information requested by the Deputy. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs including admissions procedures. The CAO process applications on behalf of the HEIs and information on these applications is held by the CAO, not by the Department. According to figures...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that the project to which he refers has been devolved to the school authority for delivery under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. I can inform him in that context that my Department is awaiting the submission of a Stage 2a report which is the next step in the progression of this project. Following examination of this report when received, a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.  The online application process for student grant applications for the 2020/21 academic year is due to open on 23rd April, 2020. Further information in relation to student grant assistance is available from SUSI’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...