Results 2,901-2,920 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b), which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Certificate and Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of Tender Documents.  All statutory approvals have been secured. The Stage 2(b) report has recently been submitted to my...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Home Tuition Scheme Provision (14 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. In exceptional cases my Department will consider home tuition applications on behalf of students with diagnoses of school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety which has caused...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: State Examinations Appeals (14 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Schools Building Projects Status (14 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Design Team has confirmed that it is working on finalising the Stage 2(b) Report ensuring the new school building will...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Accommodation Provision (14 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 84 together. The school referred to by the Deputy is located in accommodation on a site provided by the school.   The school is not included in my Department's current school building programme. It is open to the school to apply to my Department for any additional temporary accommodation to cater for immediate accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Compensation Schemes (14 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Since the ex gratia scheme was established in July 2015, a total of 50 applications were received. Payments are being made to a number of victims of child sexual abuse in day schools on foot of the assessments made by the Independent Assessor to the ex gratia scheme, Mr. Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill.  The current position is that sixteen offers of payment of €84,000 have...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Third Level Costs (14 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment/progression and means. To satisfy the terms and conditions of the Scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: It was a very welcome intervention that I could not forget. It was an important intervention as well because the Senator was specifically talking about the voice of the student. That is something I am extremely interested in and I was part of the formation of Donegal Youth Council a long time ago back in 2000. It is really important to get the voice of the student right. I did a wee bit...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I appreciate where the Senator is coming from. One of the things we are trying to avoid here is uniformity. Senator Ruane, other Senators in the House and I know that no two schools are the same in ethos and philosophy. I reassure the Senator that there is provision for this within the guidelines. The education partners will include student representative bodies as well and I know we are...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: -----disrupting schools. In some schools they meet on a very regular basis and different schools have different ways of doing things. We will look at this again before Report Stage. If there is anything we can do to build reassurances around that, I will get my officials to look at it.

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The amendment provides for the explanation of the role and complaints procedure of the Ombudsman for Children to be included in section 28. I accept that the Bill does not currently make it an explicit requirement that the grievance procedures would require that schools inform students or parents of their right to make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman for Children following the...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Senator for his amendment. The amendment requires a school that decides not to deal with a grievance on the basis that it is vexatious or frivolous to notify the student, parent or parents as to why the school has deemed the grievance to be vexatious or frivolous and to keep a record of the decision. Section 8 of the Bill replaces the existing section 28 of the Education Act...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Senator for tabling this amendment. It would provide for the repeal of subsection (2) thereby deleting subsection (9)(2) of the Ombudsman Children Act 2002, which prevents the Ombudsman from investigating a complaint until a local school compliant process has been exhausted. I understand the concerns raised by the Senator and my Department is actively considering this provision...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I briefly wish to thank the Senators. Amendment No. 5 was discussed during the debate on the Bill last week. Its content now forms part of the Bill, having been voted through last week. I wish to advise the House that both my officials and I need to examine the provision in more detail in conjunction with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel to consider how it will work with the other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department’s responsibility is to provide sufficient accommodation to meet 20,000 new and replacement school places each year to ensure that every child has a school place. I wish to advise the Deputy that the site in question has been acquired for school purposes. My Department does not have any remit for the provision of accommodation for crèche facilities.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: International Relations (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Canada is a growing market for Ireland’s international engagement, with Irish Universities and Institutes of Technology actively engaged in the Canadian market. The relationship between Ireland and Canada is based on collaboration in the fields of student, staff and academic mobility, and Ireland’s Higher Education Institutions have developed significant relationships and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: As per the key statistics report for 2018/19 the pupil/teacher ratio for primary level in 2018/19 is 15.2. Please find a link to the report below: www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Key-Statistics/k ey-statistics-2018-2019.pdf.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: As per the key statistics report for 2018/19 the pupil/teacher ratio for post-primary level in 2018/19 is 13. Please find a link to the report below: www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Key-Statistics/k ey-statistics-2018-2019.pdf.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Pupil-Teacher Ratio at primary level for non-DEIS schools for 2018/19 is 16.1. The PTR at primary level for DEIS and non-DEIS schools does not include 233 visiting teacher and part time special education posts.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Pupil-Teacher Ratio at post primary level, excluding vocational schools managed by Education and Training Boards, for non-DEIS schools for 2018/19 is 13.8. This ratio only includes secondary and community & comprehensive schools as we do not have the number of teaching posts by individual vocational schools.