Results 2,241-2,260 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Coronavirus Outbreak (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department has disseminated information, guidance and letters from the Chief Medical Officer of the Dept. of Health to all schools via post, Esinet and through our online systems. Aegis bodies and education partners have also been sent these materials When a case is confirmed, the HSE conducts contact tracing, to identify people with whom the patient may have been in close...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Coronavirus Outbreak (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: Travel advice for all Irish citizens is provided through the and the most recent correct information will be available from there. Any schools that intend to travel to areas in which there have been confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the near future should ring the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade dedicated phone line on +353 (0)1 613 1733.   The Department of Education and...

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

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question is the result of an amalgamation approved by the Department in conjunction with the school Patron, in September 2013. The amalgamation was granted on the condition that the school would operate from existing school sites. The school authority has been advised that it is open to them to apply...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology Staff (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The agreement referred to is between THEA and Fórsa.  The Department has no involvement in this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cross-Border Educational Provision (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: I can inform the Deputy that no such approach has been made to the Department, nor is there the legislative basis for any such arrangement. Letterkenny Institute of Technology is part of the Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA) TU development consortium together with Galway Mayo IT and IT Sligo, which is working on plans to submit an application seeking an order for establishment as a...

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

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application, for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the school authority in question.  Once the application has been assessed, the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision in writing.

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

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included on the Department's Capital Programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). My Department has secured a site for the construction of a permanent building for the school and is currently finalising the project brief. My Department will continue to keep the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Mar 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. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to...

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

Joe McHugh: The Major Building Project for the project referred to by the deputy is at Stage 1 of architectural planning, which entails preliminary design of site and location suitability and initial sketch scheme. In 2019, a review of the demand for post primary provision in the area resulted in an increase in the schedule of accommodation to cater for up to 1300 pupils. The Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Fees Waivers (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: Under the terms of the Department's Free Fees Initiative, students who already hold a Level 8 qualification are not eligible for free fees. Where students do not qualify for free fees, it is the institution who determines the level of fee payable by the student (either the EU level or the Non-EU) in line with its own criteria.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: Under the Free Fees Initiative, the Exchequer provides funding towards tuition fees in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study. In order to qualify for funding under the Free Fees Initiative, students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an...

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

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 304 and 311 together. The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included on the Department's Capital Programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). My Department is currently developing the accommodation brief for the project and when finalised, my Department will be in contact with the school...

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 roof works in respect of 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.

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

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that as school authorities finalise their enrolments each year, issues have arisen where primary school pupils are experiencing difficulties in a number of areas in securing a post-primary school place for the start of the new school year (September 2020). Where capacity is an issue the key points to be considered are: - Duplication of applications –...

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

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that as school authorities finalise their enrolments each year, issues have arisen where primary school pupils are experiencing difficulties in a number of areas in securing a post-primary school place for the start of the new school year (September 2020). Where capacity is an issue the key points to be considered are: - Duplication of applications –...

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

Joe McHugh: My Department recently met with representatives of the school referred to by the Deputy and clarified the current position relating to the school's accommodation.   It is intended that the school in question will relocate to an existing building currently occupied on an interim basis by another school while awaiting the construction of a building project for that...

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

Joe McHugh: The school building project for the school referred to be the Deputy has been assigned for delivery under my Department's Design and Build programme.  The brief for this project is a 16 classroom school with 2 classroom SEN.  The project is currently in architectural planning.  Site surveys have commenced in advance of preparing the Planning Application which...

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

Joe McHugh: Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased almost threefold, from 548 to 1,618 for the 2019/2020 school year; with 1,353 of these catering for children with autism. 167 new special classes have been established nationally for 2019/20 school year of which approximately 156 will be new autism special classes, comprising 6 Early Intervention, 100 primary,...

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

Joe McHugh: My Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €16.9 million in 2019 to all of these schools. School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoil Issues (5 Mar 2020)

Joe McHugh: The current expenditure allocation to An Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta in 2020 is €2.663 million. As in previous years there is no capital expenditure allocation provided for in 2020.