Results 2,221-2,240 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is reviewing the accommodation needs, of the school in question, in order to cater for an agreed Long Term Projected Enrolment (LTPE) of 1300 pupils. On completion of the assessment process a decision will be conveyed to the school authority in writing. I can also confirm that additional interim...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together. A new model for allocating Special Needs Assistants to primary and post primary schools for students in mainstream classes only will be introduced with effect from the commencement of the 2020/21 school year as part of the phased roll out of the School Inclusion Model (SIM). The change to a new allocation model was recommended by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department is aware of very significant increases in insurance costs in some special schools, through correspondence received from some special schools, discussions with the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE) and media reports. These increases appear due, in some instances, to an annual increase in insurance costs generally and, in some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The funding arrangements made by the Department for voluntary secondary, comprehensive & community and ETB schools and colleges reflect the different management and ownership arrangements that apply to schools at second level. Voluntary secondary schools, in the Free Education scheme, which are privately owned and managed, are funded by way of per capita grants.  An additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training Provision (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the registration of teachers. Section 7 of the Teaching Council Act provides for the Council to establish procedures in relation to the induction of teachers into the teaching profession. Those procedures are now in place through the Droichead Framework. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Croke Park Agreement (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: Under the Croke Park Agreement, teachers agreed to provide an additional hour per week to be available to facilitate, at the discretion of management, school planning, continuous professional development, induction, substitution and supervision (including supervision immediately before and after school times). This list is not exhaustive. A central purpose underlying the provision of this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question made an application under my Department's Additional School Accommodation Scheme. The application was assessed and the school authority was informed, in writing, that the works required did not fall under the remit of the Additional School Accommodation scheme.  The school was advised that the works required are proper to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, enrolments in the first instance is a matter for the school authority. The Education (Admission to Schools) Act was signed into law by the President on 18thJuly 2018.  The overall objective of the Act is to provide a new framework for school enrolment that is designed to ensure that every child is treated fairly and that the way in which schools decide on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department is aware of very significant increases in insurance costs in some special schools, through correspondence received from some special schools, discussions with the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE) and media reports. These increases appear due, in some instances, to an annual increase in insurance costs generally and, in some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Government announced plans in April 2018 for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next 4 years (2019 to 2022), including a new post-primary school which is to be established in 2020 to serve the Kilcoole and Greystones school planning areas as a regional solution. Newtownmountkennedy is located in the Kilcoole school planning area. This announcement followed nationwide,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The provision of permanent accommodation for the new post primary school to serve Greystones and Kilcoole requires the acquisition of a site by my Department.  I can confirm a potential site option has been identified and discussions are ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site. It is difficult to indicate a timeframe for any site acquisition as each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which she refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. A framework of project management and design team consultants has been appointed for the programme and the process to appoint teams to specific project bundles is now underway. The Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The site to which the Deputy refers is not in the ownership of my Department; it is in private ownership.  My Department has however agreed to purchase it and there is ongoing engagement with the owners in order to advance the purchase.  Due to commercial sensitivities associated with site acquisitions generally, I am unable to elaborate further at this point.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, a major building project to provide an extension to the school in question is included in my Department's building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP) Construction Programme.  In this regard, the procurement of the Design Team to deliver the project has commenced.  I wish to advise the Deputy that my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The school building project to which the Deputy refers  is due to be handed over in Q2 2020 with the building ready for occupation for the school year 2020/2021.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme (Scéim Aitheantas Scoileanna Gaeltachta), which was launched in April 2017, provided schools in Gaeltacht language-planning areas with the option to join the Scheme, on the basis of implementing specific language-based criteria and on condition that they were participating in the language-planning processes provided for under the Gaeltacht...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school board of management or Education and Training Board (ETB), subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circulars 0044/2019 and 31/2011, schools are required to employ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: I am  pleased to inform the Deputy that an Emergency Works Grant has been approved to address structural issues to the senior block of the school in question.  As this is a devolved scheme it is a matter for the school to progress this project. It is open to the school to apply for funding under future Summer Works Schemes for any appropriate additional works.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: A project to provide a new four classroom building for the school to which the Deputy refers has been approved under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018. A Stage 1 meeting was held with this school on 28th November 2019.  Following this meeting the school was requested to submit a revised Stage 1 report and drawings to the Department. ...