Results 2,421-2,440 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions Staff (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the attached table. Data for Ireland is available from 2011 onwards. The latest internationally comparative data available relates to the period 2013 - 2017. Relevant data is sourced from Higher Education Authority and OECD sources as appropriate.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has submitted an Emergency Works Application. This application was assessed and the Department wrote to the school authority in that respect in July 2019. The school authority was informed that some of the proposed works did not fall within the scope of the scheme. However, it was also informed that the remainder of the proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: 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 increased by 50%, which is significantly above the 7% increase in total student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are on the Department's website. Under this scheme schools can have an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently finalising the accommodation brief for the proposed building project for the school in question. My Department will be in contact with the school authority when this process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware from my previous response of the building project at the school to which he refers. I can confirm to the Deputy that a request for temporary accommodation has been received from the school. It has been advised to incorporate decanting solutions into its Design Plan for this building project and any identified need for temporary accommodation will be provided in that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department continues to engage with the landowner and Kildare County Council in regard to the technical considerations crucial to the delivery of the site and the commencement of architectural planning. It is a priority for my Department to commence the architectural planning process for this site at the earliest possible stage. For the time being - given the commercially sensitive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design. The Department understands that the Design Team is currently finalising the tender documentation and it is expected that this documentation will be submitted to the Department for review shortly. However, due to the passage of time since the pre-qualification process, to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 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 Disability Access Certificate and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan. The details of the accommodation to be provided at the school in question are expected to be determined shortly. My Department will be in direct contact with the school authority at that point.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The project to which the Deputy refers is currently at tender stage. The closing date for tenders has now passed and six tenders have been returned. The Department expects that the Tender Report will be submitted by the Design Team in the coming weeks. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that construction will commence in the 1st quarter of 2020 and the project is expected to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the delivery of the project at Naas Community College has been devolved to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). Work began on site in November and it is expected that the building will be completed in August 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The school building project to which the Deputy refers is currently on site. The first phase, consisting of the construction of the new 8 classroom school is due for completion in Quarter 4 2019 with handover anticipated in the coming weeks. The second phase is due for completion in Quarter 2 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the delivery of the project for St. Farnan's Post Primary School has been devolved to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). The Stage 1 (preliminary design) process is ongoing and will need to be completed prior to the project commencing Stage 2A.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has received an application, from the school in question, for capital funding.  I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the project brief has been finalised and the school authority will be informed of the decision shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Department's costs in relation to communications strategy initiatives in 2019 are set out below. 2019 Costs Campaign Cost Teaching Transforms advertising campaign which aims to help address the shortage of teachers in specific subjects and the increasing need for more qualified graduates. €117,699.96 STEM Awareness...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (11 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The costs incurred by the Department in relation to video commissioning, development and production in 2019 are set out below. The Department also produced a number of videos in-house during the year which did not incur any additional costs. Date Video Subject Company Cost 10/04/2019 Action Plan for Education promotion ...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (10 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue of delivering equality of opportunity in schools, DEIS. It is the main policy initiative of the Department of Education and Skills to address educational disadvantage at school level. The DEIS plan is based on the findings of an extensive review of the DEIS programme, which involved consultations with all relevant stakeholders. It sets out...