Results 11,961-11,980 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

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

Joe McHugh: Budget 2020 has provided for a budget of more than €11 billion for the Department of Education and Skills in 2020. This is the highest ever allocation to the sector and an increase of nearly €2 billion since 2016. The number of teachers has increased from 63,556 in 2015/16 to almost 70,900 in 2019/20, an increase of over 7,300 teaching posts. Teacher numbers at primary...

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

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. Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Direct Provision System (9 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department is working closely with the Department of Justice and Equality International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) and Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) to ensure that school pupils who reside in accommodation centres for International Protection applicants are identified and supported. A communication pathway for schools, parents and centre managers in relation to...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Cheann Comhairle as a chuidiú agus gabhaim buíochas leis an Choiste Gnó fosta fá choinne an t-am a ofráil inniu. Táim fíorbhuíoch as sin toisc go raibh mé ábalta Dún na nGall a fhágáil chun dul go dtí Teach Laighean ar maidin agus beidh mé ábalta dul a luí i nDún na nGall...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, this is a voluntary scheme. The July provision programme always was voluntary. It depends on demand so once we announce the guidelines on Friday there will be an opportunity for the parents to register with the Department in the first instance. That is the most fundamental part of this proposal. It is a scaled up proposal. It is not based on the July...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: We can continue to have the conversation here about what the Deputy is looking for and the information the parents are looking for this Friday. We will have the guidelines on Friday. I am bringing them to Cabinet. We will have the final guidelines and details. It will be an expanded scheme. As the Deputy knows, last week I announced I wanted to include Down's syndrome in the scheme, and...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy was here last week when I said we would be back again next Wednesday and I would bring a detailed submission and guidelines to Cabinet on Friday. That has not changed. I cannot determine when I am and am not in here. I am absolutely delighted to be back, and today is an opportunity for Deputies, as representatives of their communities and constituencies, to put forward advice as...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I am sorry but I did not catch that. The Deputy said not a-----

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: Let us deal with the Deputy's first question on traditional July provision. Last year, 70% of the summer programme was home based. Out of 4,000 schools, 232 signed up. We will find out within the next three days - after formal contact with the schools and once we have got approval from the Cabinet - what type of feedback we will get from the schools. Our contacts with them so far have...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: We need to establish what is the demand. Parents will have the opportunity to register on Friday, so that will give us an indication of the demand. From an information point of view, provision is not just broken down into school-based and home tuition. There are other school settings and settings outside of school where parents can come together in a group of ten in a community-based...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The contribution prior to Deputy Feighan's had some more technical questions on which information will be provided on Friday. The Deputy asked about parents requesting home tuition. That is very much part of this scheme and we will have more detail on it. The protocol on work practices for the tutor coming into the house needs to be mapped out before that happens. I reassure parents that...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: Yes, this might cover a lot of the other questions that have been raised on the summer programme. On Scoil Chrónáin, I will be happy to ask one of my officials to reach out to her in that regard. There is anxiety and a need to bring clarity to the summer programme as soon as possible. I get that, the frustration coming from parents and the need for that clarity. That is why I...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for his contribution. As for the different analyses of last week's contributions from the officials and what happened on Friday, basically what happened on Thursday was under certain health advice but Friday changed everything. On Friday, the NPHET advice was that schools will reopen and the school summer programme could go ahead. When we were given the green light,...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I appreciate the comments made by the Deputy. I do not know how much longer I will be in my current position. One of the things I have greatly valued during my time in the Department is that its officials are very open-minded and good to work with. There are times when we have differing opinions, but that is life and it brings discussion and an energy to the Department. On the issue of...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: There are three strands, if the Deputy wants to break it down into specifics. There is a health-based strand, and I am working very closely with the Minister, Deputy Harris, and his officials are working closely with mine, with regard to children with complex medical needs. There are potentially 600 students in that category. I am meeting the Minister, Deputy Harris, at 3 p.m. to go...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: NEPS has continuously been directly involved with the schools since 12 March and, in fact, it would have had a significant role in determining the cancellation of the leaving certificate in terms of the impact on well-being and mental health of students. NEPS has a critical role. Part of the weakness and the negative we in the Department have identified is that, because of the regression,...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: There will be further clarity on the range of openings. One thing I have identified, as have my officials and the team with which I work, is that as the summer programme has a home-based strand and a school based strand, there could be different starting points. Registration starts on Friday and one will have a very simplified process. I do not want a bureaucratic process in terms of...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: There always will be individual examples and cases. In the main, since 12 March schools have stayed connected and have not closed. While school buildings have closed, the education has not closed. Parents of children with special needs have seen ongoing engagement, be it the SNAs or principals staying in touch. Maybe that did not happen in all cases but in the main, that is the feedback...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The details of the scheme will be discussed on Friday and I will provide the information at a public level. With regard to the specific concern of the parent in Lucan who does not have a school opened in the general area, and perhaps never had, we call it home-based tuition but it does not necessarily have to be in the house. It can be as creative as possible. There is a lot of evidence in...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The pupil-teacher ratio and the allocation of teachers are all part of the budget and I will not change the budget midway through the year. I get the Deputy's point and it was raised quite extensively in the House in discussing the challenges we will encounter in August and September with regard to extra resources. This is why I am engaging very closely with education stakeholders to ensure...