Results 11,981-12,000 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: That is a matter for the Business Committee. I was here last week and I was here two weeks before that. I am second to the Minister, Deputy Harris, as the most frequent ministerial visitor to the House. I am happy to be here again today but last week I said quite clearly with regard to coming here today that the memo on the roadmap would go to the Government on Friday. To respond on the...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: We have 70,000 teachers in the primary and post-primary sectors. The pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools will decline naturally because of demographics. Speaking as a former school teacher, the fewer pupils one has in a class, the better the teaching environment for the teacher. That is a given but the challenge we have in the annual budget is deciding how much money will go into...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I know the Acting Chairman has raised this issue as well and I am conscious that Deputy Brophy has raised it on a number of occasions. I am aware of the issue and my officials are examining it with a view to finding a solution.

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for his contribution. He asked a question around resources that will go into the summer programme. Obviously, it is a demand-led scheme and is based on volunteerism. Last year, the July provision cost a little over €16 million. We are looking at an expanded scheme this year. This involves bringing in other groups. We will be looking to add significantly to the...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy spoke about school places for children with special educational needs. What has happened here is that this is not just a Dublin or Cork based issue any more. Obviously there was a lot of pressure last year in Dublin 15. I did enact the legislation to which the Deputy referred but critical to that legislation was the co-operation of school authorities. We had a tremendous focus...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for his contribution and his proposal. We are keeping the conversation line open on early intervention classes, and there will be more detail on same on Friday. I agree with his point about the transition from preschool to primary. We are engaging on it and will provide more clarity on Friday. He raised a range of issues concerning needs and schools knowing what the...

July Education Programme: Statements (10 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: I thank both Deputies for their contributions. If we went with last year's July provision, we could announce it and everything would be out there. The reason there has been a delay is because we are incorporating two other Departments, the Departments of Health and Children and Youth Affairs on the disadvantaged side. Deputies can tell their constituents that children with severe and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Support Schemes (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: Student Support Teams play an important role in supporting the well-being of students.  The Student Support Team focus is on meeting the needs of individual students and supporting systemic change to promote social and emotional competence and wellbeing.   The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) in my Department supports the work of schools in establishing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: Schools have been notified of the arrangements for the allocation of SNA support in respect of students in mainstream classes for 2020/21.  SNA allocations for special classes and special schools continue to be allocated, by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), in the normal way. There is a prescribed ratio for allocating SNAs to special classes.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Boards of Management of schools are responsible for the employment of ancillary staff.  Funding to cater for these services is made available from my Department through the Ancillary Services and Capitation Grants. It is a matter for the Board of Management of the school to determine whether the individual concerned may continue to work until 70 years of age having regard to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: On Friday my Department published the report to Government “Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business” https://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Announcements/fra mework-for-reopening-and-operating-schools.html.  The report sets out the clear ambition to develop a sustainable plan to fully reopen schools at the start of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: On 1May 2020, the Government published a roadmap to ease Covid-19 restrictions and reopen Ireland’s economy and society.   To assist with the development of contingency plans for the re-opening and operation of schools, including special schools, in an environment that may require social distancing and other public health requirements, my Department will be engaging with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: On Friday my Department published the report to Government “Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business” .  The report sets out the clear ambition to develop a sustainable plan to fully reopen schools at the start of the next school year in late August/September in line with normal timeframes.   The report also sets out in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The project to provide permanent accommodation for the school on its permanent site in Firhouse has been assigned for delivery under my Department’s Design and Build Programme and has commenced Architectural Design.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Staff (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: Individual employees with queries on employment matters should be directed back to their employer and union where appropriate.  If the union wants to raise issues, there are structures within which they can do so either with the employer or with the Department.  Matters relating to industrial relations or terms and conditions are handled by the mechanisms in place to deal with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: On the 1 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.  On Friday my Department published the report to Government “Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business”...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home School Community Liaison Scheme (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Scheme is a school-based intervention provided to DEIS schools to address the needs of all pupils/families at risk of educational disadvantage through acknowledging and developing the role of the parent as prime educator. Currently, all DEIS Urban Primary and DEIS Post Primary schools are included in the Home School Community Liaison...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Jun 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 Public Health advice. Engagement is underway with stakeholders in the education sector to develop contingency plans for the re-opening and operation of schools. On 12th June, 2020, my Department published a plan for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department has published details of a summer programme for children with special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes.  The programme incorporates some aspects of the July Provision of previous years.  Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education, is a significantly expanded programme for children with complex...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (16 Jun 2020)

Joe McHugh: The vital importance of history, both national history and world history, and the study of history is central to an understanding not just of the past but also of the conditions which created the society in which we live and the many factors which influence the way people live their lives and the attitudes, both positive and negative, which exist in our society. I believe it is important that...