Results 3,481-3,500 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Administration (8 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. The terms of this scheme are set out in circular 56/2019 which is available on my Department’s website at: . As set out in this circular my Department acts as a payroll agent only...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Expenditure (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: If the 100% maintenance adjacent rate was increased from €1,215 to €1,350 and the non-adjacent 100% maintenance grant was increased from €3,025 to €3,325, the estimated cost in 2020 would be €5.3m. This is based on the assumption that the change would take effect at the start of the 2020/21 academic year in September 2020. The full year cost of the measure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Meetings (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I have had bilateral meetings with my counterparts from the following countries to date in 2019: - Germany - Finland - United Kingdom - Croatia I have also met with the European Commissioner for Education and Culture. These meetings focused on EU education cooperation including European Universities networks and Erasmus+, Brexit issues and preparations and bilateral general education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Budget 2019 marks the third year of a major reinvestment in the education. In 2019, the budget for the Department of Education and Skills will increase by €674 million, a 6.7% increase on last year. In total, the Education budget will have increased by €1.7 billion compared to 2016. Budget 2019 will see numbers employed in our schools reach the highest ever level. Over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I fully recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools. I am pleased to have been able to provide for a 5% increase in capitation funding for primary and post primary schools that will apply from the start of the 2019/20 school year. The first and full year costs of this increase is €4 million and €10 million respectively. In looking at the competing demands for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (8 Oct 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: Departmental Reviews (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Following the publication of the Independent INDECON report on its review of Career Guidance tools and information in April, I immediately established an internal taskforce, chaired by my Secretary General and comprising senior officials from units within the Department responsible for elements of career guidance. This includes staff of the Departments Inspectorate who are former Guidance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, the master planning exercise for the site in question is currently under way. It is expected that my Department will consult with the relevant education stakeholders, including the patron body referred to by the Deputy as part of this process. This consultation will contribute to the formulation of the master planning exercise.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: As indicated to the Deputy in Parliamentary Question No. 191 of 1 October 2019, the premises in question is not in my Department's ownership and the Department will not be commissioning a fire safety inspection of the property. The future use of the property would be a matter for the property owner.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, the school in question is currently in interim accommodation in Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa. My Department is reviewing potential accommodation options for September 2020 to use as interim accommodation while awaiting delivery of their permanent accommodation. A potential permanent site option has been identified and discussions are ongoing with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 was signed into law by the President on 18 July 2018. The overall objective of the Act is to provide a new framework for school enrolment, designed to ensure that every child is treated fairly and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department has identified five schools (four primary schools and one post primary school) where works are required to by undertaken to address issues caused by pyrite. The schools in question are all in Dublin and are as follows: - St Patrick's NS Diswellstown; - St Canice's NS Finglas; - St Peter's NS Phibsboro; - St Michael's Holy Faith SS Finglas; - Castleknock Educate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Cases (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Once the presence of pyrite was established, my Department's Planning and Building Unit sought legal advice as to how to proceed. The matter has been referred to the Chief State Solicitor’s Office. The Deputy will appreciate that as this matter is still being dealt with by the Chief State Solicitors Office it is not possible for me to comment further at present. However pending the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has spent approximately €27,000 on surveys and reports to monitor and establish the presence and extent of pyrite in schools where the possible existence of pyrite has been indicated. Any structural issues arising in a school building as a result of pyrite are being dealt with under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme (EWS)....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm that details in relation to primary schools in the area referred to by the Deputy are available on my Departments website under the "Find a School" link on the home page. The Deputy can access school contact details, enrolments, ethos, inspection reports, etc. via this link.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm that details in relation to post-primary schools in the area referred to by the Deputy are available on my Departments website under the "Find a School" link on the home page. The Deputy can access school contact details, enrolments, ethos, inspection reports, etc. via this link.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. The issue of road safety measures in the road network outside the area of vested school sites such as road signage, traffic calming measures, car parking and pedestrian facilities are the responsibility in the first instance of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department has established procedures for the setting up of new schools. Once a school has been established, in line with the required procedures, a roll number is assigned by my Department as part of the process. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. The issue of road safety measures in the road network outside the area of vested school sites such as road signage, traffic calming measures, car parking and pedestrian facilities are the responsibility in the first instance of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Supply (8 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Since my appointment as Minister for Education and Skills I have met with a number of Teaching Principals and I appreciate the pressures they face. In Budget 2019, school leadership is again supported with an additional release day for teaching principals in primary schools and a further four additional release days for teaching principals in schools with special classes. These additional...