Results 2,601-2,620 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Direct Provision Data (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 to 238, inclusive, together. My Department’s policy, in relation to provision of education for children of international protection applicants, is that attendance at mainstream school is a key element in integration. In keeping with the terms of the EU Recast Reception (conditions) Directive, children of international protection applicants...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department does not allocate or record overall financial budgets on a county or town basis. I am therefore not in a position to readily provide details on the amounts allocated to school projects and other department allocations to Moate or surrounding areas. However, my Department’s website shows the current position on all school projects on the Capital Programme, as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Inquiry into Child Abuse (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: Officials in my Department are aware of the recent findings regarding statistics in the Ryan report. The Ryan report is very much a living document and is referenced continually by officials working in the area of redress.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The position on working hours for SNAs is that there are no nationally set working hours for full-time SNAs. In this regard, the contractual position in respect of the working hours of SNAs is as outlined in their contracts of employment which were agreed with the school management authorities and the relevant Trade Unions representing SNAs (FÓRSA and SIPTU) prior to their introduction...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools. I have spoken to a number of staff about their employment conditions and understand the issues they have raised. In Budget 2020 I increased the number of secretaries and caretakers in certain schools, allowing schools with enrolments of 500-625 to fill secretary vacancies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Administration (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced details of the schools that will receive funding in summer 2020 in respect of applications submitted for 'Life Safety Systems projects'. Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the Scheme, applications are being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the Circular accompanying...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department has enacted five pieces of legislation since November 2013, the details of which are set out in the following table. Bills enacted since November 2013 Date the Act was signed into law Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Act 2019 23 July 2019 Education (Admission to Schools) Act...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 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: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to clarify for the Deputy that the Emergency Works Grant application received from the school is still under consideration. My Department has written to the school authority advising it to consider an alternative approach to resolving the issues as the suggested remediation was not considered an appropriate and/or value for money solution by officials in my Department. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (3 Dec 2019)

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...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I apologise for being late; I have just come from a Cabinet meeting. I thank the Chairman for her ongoing commitment to the issues of Traveller culture and education. I also thank her for her engagement on these matters in the Seanad, which is both positive and helpful in the context of my own deliberations. The Minister of State, Deputy Mitchell O'Connor will focus on the higher level sector.

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I also thank the committee members for giving me the opportunity to appear before them to discuss education and the Traveller community. As members can see from the detailed submission provided by the Department, several initiatives are under way to improve educational outcomes for Travellers at all levels. Part of this process includes identifying and addressing barriers to participation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: On the question about an independent review of the DEIS system, we are carrying out an analysis at the minute and are looking at the historical background to DEIS. When DEIS came in, there was a fear around schools being stigmatised but that fear eroded very quickly as schools saw there was going to be extra resources and extra help. The underlying determination of DEIS status was primarily...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Chairman spoke about Pavee Point referring to drop out or push out. Let us all accept that we have a challenge here. My Department and I accept we have an enormous challenge here. There is no better example to point to than prior to the introduction of DEIS. That challenge was taken on with DEIS, which tries to use a more inclusive model leading to greater progression. One of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I expect it very shortly. I hope it will be within the next couple of months. I put pressure on officials to try and have it by the end of the year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I will keep the committee posted on where we are. I have asked them to prioritise it. They have had enough time to do the work. Once that is ready, I will be in a position to give a date. I want that information before bringing the Bill to the Dáil.

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I do not anticipate a general election for a while. God knows what might happen tonight. I was present in the Seanad and participated in the debate on that legislation. I was also part of the decision on the place of history in our junior cycle curriculum. Part of the positive feedback I have received from history teachers relates to local history now that junior cycle has that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: I will pick up on the Chair's point. We hope to learn a lot from these pilots. I know I came in at the tail-end-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Education: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Dec 2019)

Joe McHugh: Yes, but if we look at the changes in the education system over the past five to ten years, one of the major points we have heard in feedback from teachers relates to the intensity and pace of change. Members of the Joint Committee on Education and Skills will have heard this. To reassure the committee, we get the message that there are challenges in this sector. We hear about them from...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (28 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy makes his case very well, much like his constituency colleague, Deputy Smyth. I have also spoken to my Cabinet colleague, Deputy Humphreys, about this and Senator O'Reilly keeps this issue on the agenda. I am well aware that a good bit of preparatory work is required for these applications. I am also aware, as the Deputy pointed out, that the education and training board is very...