Results 3,141-3,160 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (23 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for Government.  Currently, we spend almost 20% of the total Education Vote of €1.9bn on supporting children with special needs. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels and so too is the number of children receiving support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (23 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the deputy that an application for External Environmental Projects under my Department's multi annual Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2020 onwards was submitted by the school authority in question.  I wish to advise that commensurate with the level of funding available for Summer Works in 2020, applications will be assessed on a top down basis in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Fee Exemptions (23 Oct 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: Teaching Qualifications (23 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Management bodies and schools have, in recent years, reported difficulties in recruiting teachers. At primary level this relates mainly to the recruitment of substitute teachers and at post-primary level to the recruitment of teachers of particular subjects (STEM, modern foreign languages, Irish and Home Economics, in particular).  In response to the Deputy’s question, I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is designed to allow schools, on a devolved funding basis, to carry out necessary improvement and refurbishment works that will upgrade existing school facilities. Works such as refurbishment projects and roof repairs are funded under this scheme. As the Deputy is aware, I announced the application...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Examinations (23 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The position is that Universities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, Technological Universities Act 2018 and the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006. Under the terms of these Acts, the governance and day-to-day management of these institutions are matters for which the Governing Bodies and the management of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (23 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved the construction of a two classroom SEN Base under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019 for this school. The preliminary design submitted to my Department by the school’s design team included unapproved works.  The school also obtained planning permission without first getting authorisation to proceed to planning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (23 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that an appeal, received by my Department, from the school in question was reviewed.  In order to assist the school with an interim accommodation solution, which was agreed with the school authority, funding was provided to reconfigure an existing space and the project was devolved to the school authority. On...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (23 Oct 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: School Accommodation Provision (23 Oct 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: Teaching Council of Ireland (23 Oct 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 in this State. Under section 30 of the Teaching Council Acts, a teacher in a recognised school is required to be registered with the Teaching Council in order to be paid from Oireachtas-voted funds.  Where a registered...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Supply (23 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: It is a matter for school Boards of Management to recruit appropriately qualified teachers, including teachers of children who are deaf/hard of hearing and/or blind/visually impaired. Management bodies and schools have, in recent years, reported difficulties in recruiting teachers. In response to these difficulties, the Teacher Supply Steering Group, which is chaired by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Data (22 Oct 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: Summer Works Scheme Applications (22 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that an application for External Works (Category 10) has been received from the school authority in question, under my Department's previous multi-annual Summer Works Scheme.  Schools that previously applied for category 10 works (External Works, e.g. upgrade and resurfacing of yards and car parking, etc.) were exempt from applying...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme (22 Oct 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. Home tuition is not an alternative to a school placement and is provided in very limited and specific circumstances. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention. Special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (22 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The purpose of my Department’s Assistive Technology Scheme, as set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013, is to provide grant-aid to schools to allow them to purchase the type of specialist equipment which has been recommended by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) as being essential for students who have been diagnosed as having a serious physical disability...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (22 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Further to the information which I provided in July 2019 relating to the island allowance the Deputy will be aware of the background to this situation which arose in 2012 following the need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure including a review of public service-wide allowances and premium payments. At that time any person who was in receipt of the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (22 Oct 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (22 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) (Detailed Design) which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. The Design Team is  currently working on completing a revised Stage 2(b) report for submission to the Department for review. Upon...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (22 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has recently completed Stage 2(b) of architectural planning and has been progressed to tender stage. A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete.