Results 2,801-2,820 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Rural schools make up the majority of our primary school sector: nearly 2,000 out of just over 3,100 schools. They are valued in their communities in that they provide a vital link to local heritage and history, help sustain rural populations and often act as a link for sports and social activity. The majority of rural schools (over 1,200) are classed as small- having 4 or fewer teachers....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a new site is required for the replacement building for the school in question and my Department has commenced the site identification process. In line with protocols for the use of State property assets, my Department has written to the Department of Defence enquiring if the Department is in a position to provide a site that could be suitable. My Department has also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department provides hoists and other equipment for special schools from the Furniture and Equipment grant. While this grant does not provide for the servicing of this equipment, funding for same is made available through the minor works and/or capitation grant.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (19 Nov 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Supply (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Earlier this year I introduced a new scheme to allow post-primary schools to share teachers in priority subjects. The “Scheme to Share Teachers between Recognised Post-Primary Schools” is intended to ease recruitment pressures in specific subject areas such as STEM, modern foreign languages, Irish, and home economics. I would strongly encourage Principals and boards of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware this project has been devolved for delivery to Westmeath County Council (WCC). He will also be aware that senior officials from my Department and WCC are working closely with the contractor to resolve issues that have arisen on this project under the dispute resolution mechanisms set out in the Public Works Contract. I can inform the Deputy that further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (19 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 99 together. My Department currently spends approximately €1.9 Billion or almost 20% of its total current educational and training budget annually on making additional provision for children with special educational needs. This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Tá an Grúpa Stiúrtha um Sholáthar Múinteoirí, atá faoi chathaoirleacht ag Ard-Rúnaí na Roinne Oideachais agus Scileanna, ag déanamh breithniú ar na saincheisteanna a théann i bhfeidhm ar an soláthar múinteoirí agus tá sé ag déanamh maoirseacht ar chomhlíonadh an Phlean Gníomhaíochta um...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (19 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: As Minister for Education & Skills, I am committed to continuing the process of investing in our higher education system and to the development and implementation of a sustainable funding model for the sector for the future.  The Government's commitment to investment in higher education is clearly demonstrated by the scale of investment in higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department understands that the report referenced in the Deputy’s question is an internal organisational review conducted on foot of an agreement between City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) and a staffing union relating to resources, grant management and communications in CDETB and was carried out by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. As...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Reduced Timetables (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and Tusla, has compiled draft guidelines for schools on the use of reduced timetables.  The following proposals have been included in the draft guidelines: - Schools will be required to notify TUSLA Education Support Service when a reduced timetable is being put in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Departments July Provision Scheme provides funding for an extended school year for students with a severe/profound general learning disability and/or  students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The scheme was developed to reduce potential regression in learning associated with these specific categories of special education needs over the summer holidays. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The most recent phase of consultation invited the public to provide feedback on the NCCA's draft report on the Review of Relationship and Sexuality education (RSE). The consultation was open from July 9th - October 25th with significant public engagement.  All suggestions and feedback arising from this consultation will now be carefully considered and will inform a revised Report on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Eligibility (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware following the review of DEIS, my Department introduced an objective, statistics based model for assessing which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme. As a first step, 79 new schools were brought into the DEIS programme in 2017 with a further 30 being upgraded from Band 2 to Band 1 status.  These schools were assessed as having the highest levels...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Expenditure (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 166 together. Safety is the number one priority for my Department since the structural and fire safety issues, which are the subject matter of the Deputy’s Parliamentary Questions, arose and I am pleased to be able to inform him that significant progress has been made on the remediation programme for the 40 schools involved. A...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (19 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Special Education Teaching allocation, as outlined in Circular 0007/2019, provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses the Language Support (EAL) allocation that schools were allocated in previous years. Further temporary Language Support is also provided, as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (19 Nov 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. As the re profiling occurred, some schools gained additional allocations, where the...