Results 3,021-3,040 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The amendment provides that the national charter guidelines would have to include model charters for schools which boards would have to follow in preparing their individual charters. The national charter guidelines will ensure clarity and consistency of approach across schools, but it is not the Bill's intention that every school's charter will be exactly the same. Schools, by their nature,...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I appreciate where the Senator wants to go with the amendment and we are singing from the same hymn sheet in seeking to ensure we will have a minimum period within which to ensure a review will be carried out. Five years is potentially too long. We can look at ensuring one will be carried out earlier, but I am not in a position to be specific in that regard. While not accepting the...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Senator for the amendment which would require the Minister, when preparing the charter guidelines, to have regard to the need for a school to have adequate personnel, financial and time resources in order to implement the provisions of the Bill. I repeat again that a lot of schools are doing very well with reference to what we are trying to do through a legislative framework....

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Much consideration has gone into this particular amendment, as it has gone into all the amendments. The Bill currently requires the Minister, when preparing the charter guidelines, to have regard to the need for a school to foster and promote mutual respect and communications between the school and students and their parents. This amendment would ensure this provision in the Bill also...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I want to highlight a number of points about these amendments. I know Senator Boyhan talked about the independence of the ombudsman as well as Senator Ruane. The specific basis on which the Ombudsman for Children engages with schools is already enshrined in legislation. The Ombudsman for Children does not engage with schools as a representative or advocate for the complainant or for the...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank Senator Craughwell for tabling the amendment.Amendment No. 11 provides for the deletion of the provision in the Bill that provides for the Minister to publish a direction issued under this Bill to a school board, together with the name of the school concerned. Amendment No. 12 is a consequential amendment that removes the obligation on the Minister to publish a notice where he or she...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: In response to amendment No. 14, the Bill currently provides for an amendment of section 27(4) of the Education Act 1998 to change the requirement on a student council from one of promoting the interest of the school to a requirement to promote the interest of the students of the school, having regard to the characteristic spirit and policies of the school and the charter. The Senator's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation from the school referred to by the Deputy. Once the application has been assessed the school authority will be informed directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Maternity Leave (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circular 31/ 2011and 44/2019, which are available on the Department’s website under www.education.ie, schools are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (6 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 Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (6 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The 2018 annual report of the independent appeals officer appointed to consider appeals against decisions of Caranua (the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board) for the period 1 May 2018 to 30 April 2019 was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 16 October 2019.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Provision (5 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The matter raised by the Deputy relates to preschool education and childcare. These matters fall within the remit of my colleagues, the Minister for Children & Youth Affairs. My Department does not provide funding to preschool services other than to early intervention for children with Autism. Supports for childcare, including preschool education, are provided by the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (5 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: The provision of education for children with special needs 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. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels. Nationally, 167 new special classes opened for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (5 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 253 together. The person concerned retired from teaching service last year and is currently in receipt of retirement benefits. Officials from the Pension Unit of my Department have been in contact with the person concerned on a number of occasions to discuss the calculation of her benefits. The person concerned has also been informed that they may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Libraries (5 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: There is no specific grant funding available in relation to provision of library books to schools from this Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (5 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: There is currently no provision to reckon teaching service provided abroad for pension purposes. However, it is open to serving teachers to purchase additional service known as notional service, in accordance with the rules of the pension scheme of which they are a member.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (5 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 194, 227 and 228 together. The building project to provide permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy will provide a 16 classroom primary school with a 2 classroom Special Educational Needs unit. The project is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build Programme. The current Design & Build framework of contractors is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Officials at my Department have made contact with the landlord with regard to seeking an extension of the lease for the temporary school accommodation for the school to which the Deputy refers. My Department will keep the school authorities fully informed as these discussions progress.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (5 Nov 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the registration of teachers. It is a function of the Council under the Teaching Council Acts (s7(2)) to act as the competent authority for the recognition of qualifications obtained by a person who has applied under this Act for registration as a teacher. Teachers...