Results 2,341-2,360 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: DES Circulars 0007/2019 for primary schools and 0008/2019 for post primary schools provide details of how the allocations of Special Education Teachers have been updated for schools from September 2019, based on updated profile data. All schools have now received revised allocations for September 2019.  Under the allocation model, schools have been provided with a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department and I have received correspondence in relation to the Retention of Records Bill from a number of former residents and it is clear that there are conflicting views as to how to procced in regard to the records. I am aware that some former residents have called for the current legislation to be implemented, i.e., that the bulk of the records would be disposed of, while other have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Applications (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that the grant awarding authority has advised my officials that they have no record of an application from the student in question for the 2019/20 academic year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a demonstration project to provide in-school and pre-school therapy services was introduced for the 2018/19 school year and has been continuing as part of a wider pilot of a new School Inclusion Model for children with special educational and additional care needs over the course of the 2019/20 school year. The demonstration project has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together. On 27thMarch I announced the trialling of the School Inclusion Model, a new model of support for students with special educational and additional care needs, which is being piloted in 75 schools in the Kildare/Wicklow/South Dublin region. The pilot commenced at the start of the 2019/20 school year. The School Inclusion Model aims to build...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: This building project referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan.   The major building project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes securing Planning Permission, Fire Certificate and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the Assistive Technology scheme, as set out in my Department’s Circular 0010/2013, funding is provided to schools towards the cost of computers and specialist equipment, which are required for educational purposes. Equipment is provided under this scheme for children with more complex disabilities who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential specialist...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Functions (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: A sub-committee, under the National Strategy for Women and Girls (NWSG) Committee, on period poverty has been established and is chaired by a Department of Health official.  My Department is participating on the sub-committee. The  work of the sub-committee involves the examination of available evidence to establish the prevalence of period poverty in Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department is in receipt of an application, for capital funding, for the provision of additional school accommodation from the school referred to by the Deputy.  The assessment process is nearing completion and a decision will issue to the school authority shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The establishment of technological universities (TUs), including a TU in the South East, is an important part of the Government's higher education policy. Under the statutory framework detailed in the Technological Universities Act 2018, it is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant Institutes of Technology participating in a TU development consortium to progress their plans to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, in relation to the school to which he refers, my Department has approved funding for a permanent extension consisting of 3 general classrooms, 3 SET rooms/offices, a science laboratory and preparation area, an art room, and toilets.  This funding is being provided under my Department's Additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The property referred to by the Deputy is not in my ownership. In common with other buildings of its kind, there is a charging lease in place on the property, in this case dated 1913 for 890 years to protect the state's investment in the property. In circumstances where a property has ceased to be used as a school, and a request is received from the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: In April 2018, the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the four years from 2019 to 2022, including a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to serve the Tallaght & Newcastle_Rathcoole (Citywest/Saggart) school planning areas as a regional solution to be established in 2020. The successful patrons were announced today on my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Property (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: In line with the requirements of recent revisions to the Public Spending Code, my Department is undertaking a re-appraisal of the proposed acquisition of the property referred to by the Deputy. In this regard, my Department is not in a position to execute contracts for the proposed acquisition at this time.  The property-owner has been informed of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 to 226, inclusive, 228 and 229 together. The provision of education for children with special needs, including those with Autism, is an ongoing priority for Government. Currently, almost 20% of the total Education Vote or €1.9bn is invested in supporting children with special needs. Since 2011 investment in Special Education supports has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: In the case of all new schools, as well as replacement school buildings, it is general practice to include a Special Education Needs Base (SEN Base) in the accommodation brief, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required.  Typically, a two classroom SEN Base is provided in new primary schools and a two or four classroom SEN Base is provided in new post primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland Data (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: SUSI have a data-sharing arrangement in place with the Revenue Commissioners which returns income information and employment cessation end dates, where applicable. Where this information is unavailable through the feed, for example, where there is a large discrepancy between the amount declared and the amount returned by the Revenue feed or where the income/employment has ceased, SUSI...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a demonstration project to provide in-school and pre-school therapy services was introduced for the 2018/19 school year. The demonstration project has been developed by a Working Group which includes representatives from the Departments of Education, Children and Youth Affairs, Health, and the Health Service Executive (HSE). The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (17 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware the DEIS programme is the main policy instrument of my Department to tackle educational disadvantage.  In the 2019/20 school year there are 891 schools in the DEIS Programme serving in excess of 185,000 pupils. This represents approximately 20% of the overall school population. Key supports are provided under DEIS to support school attendance, participation...