Results 11,861-11,880 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I am reluctant to give a picture of what this is going to look like because we are not announcing it formally until next week. I am going to bring a memorandum to Cabinet and we are going to publish the guidelines. I will offer two examples in terms of disadvantage. We are looking at school completion. This will involve targeted disadvantage to try to get some form of school completion...

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: Less than one minute. Let me be clear - we have an inclusive educational model. It is not just an urban issue or a rural issue. In my town of Letterkenny, I believe that one of the primary schools has 38 nationalities. It has all ethnicities from around the world. It is a global school. When I attended an event, one of the students summarised the school by saying that it was an...

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy is correct in saying that the alignment process has started in terms of estimating grades. There is daily interaction between teachers, teaching colleagues, deputy principals and principals so that work will continue. The executive office that has been set up in the Department is up and running. We have an independent monitoring group chaired by Dr. Áine Lawlor. There are...

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The cost of the State indemnification will be dealt with by the Office of the Attorney General. Teachers are indemnified. That has been guaranteed. A Cabinet decision provides for indemnification to protect teachers in this process. Whatever costs arise will be borne by the State.

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I acknowledge the Sherkin Island community. I have visited the island twice. I commend the community on its creative and innovative approach to issues, including its involvement with DCU on an art project. A great example is Glenroe national school in Limerick which is looking to open up in September. There is nothing to say a school cannot open again in the future. I have confidence...

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I am sorry. I thought I had the whole time for myself.

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: We will do that.

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: It is like closing time. I have a short window here. The Deputy is right. Schools need to know the picture. That is why I will bring a memo to Cabinet next Friday with that picture, not just for schools reopening in late August and early September but in regard to children with special educational needs and disadvantage. I know there is a big debate about the 2 m and 1 m restrictions and...

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: On Down's syndrome, services will not be exclusive to autism. We will widen the programme out. The most important word for parents is choice. If they want education provided at home, it is possible to explore whether we can get a tutor or teacher to do that. We can also consider whether it is possible to open a school. The most important word from the point of view of a tutor, SNA and...

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: We will make formal contact with schools next week. The memo I will bring to Government at the end of next week will be a comprehensive guideline for schools and parents to let them know what options are available to them. I want to acknowledge the INTO, which has been very proactive on this. I have spoken to Mr. John Boyle a number of times. It is reaching out to its schools and is doing...

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: Regarding the Connacht-Ulster alliance, we now have GMIT, Sligo and Letterkenny in agreement on where they want to be, which is to have an application ready for quarter 4. I will not give a timeline after that because there is toing and froing in that process.

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: If we are getting applications in towards the end of 2020, we are looking at 2021. I will not give a time, but that is not being overly ambitious because 2021 is 12 months to run then and we will keep the momentum going there. I feel the Deputy's pain on the retention of teachers. It is such a difficult time. Principals and boards of management put in so much energy in trying to-----

Covid-19 (Education and Skills): Statements (4 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I ask the Deputy to send me the detail on Termon national school and I will be happy to follow up.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (9 Jun 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 students in university-owned accommodation will receive pro-rata refunds if they have vacated their accommodation. I have indicated that I would wish to see this principle applied in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (9 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I am aware of the challenges that are being encountered in the English language education sector and the substantial impact that the Covid-19 outbreak has had on students, teachers and providers in this sector. My Department recognises the important role that teachers play in this sector and the support they have provided and continue to provide for students at this time. Since the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (9 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department is taking a number of actions to minimise the impact on schools due to the Covid 19 pandemic. A range of guidance was published to assist schools and teachers while out of school. This guidance issued to schools to support the continuity of teaching and learning, to support those with special educational needs, to support those at risk of educational disadvantage and to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department is planning to provide a summer education programme for children with significant special educational needs as soon as it is safe to do so and in accordance with public health advice. It is intended that this programme will be similar to the July Provision of previous years. The Summer Education Programme will take place for children with significant special educational needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: On the 1st May 2020, the Taoiseach announced as part of the "Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business" that schools will commence opening on a phased basis at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year. My Department is currently working with the Education Partners and relevant stakeholders in planning for this re-opening which will be based on public health advice. As part of this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (9 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (9 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The school to which the Deputy refers has been approved funding for a building project under my Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018 that will provide for 2 additional mainstream classrooms. The tender process with respect to this project is well advanced and is expected to conclude in the coming weeks. My Department has also approved funding to the school for...