Results 3,521-3,540 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (3 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,...

Industrial Action by School Secretaries: Statements (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I want to update the House. Following discussion with Fórsa late this evening, I can say the following. The Department acknowledges that Fórsa lodged a claim in respect of school secretaries and caretakers following on from a 2015 arbitration finding which expires at the end of 2019. The Department regrets that the union is now engaging in industrial action. As is normal...

Industrial Action by School Secretaries: Statements (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the issue of school secretaries and caretakers. I recognise the very important work these staff and the other support staff carry out in the running of our schools. In my time as Minister and beforehand, I have spoken to a number of school secretaries about their employment conditions and I understand the issues they have raised. Earlier...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Second Stage (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Tá áthas orm a bheith sa Teach Uachtarach chun an píosa reachtaíocht thábhachtach nua seo, sé sin an Bille Oideachais (Cairt Mac Léinn agus Tuismitheoirí) 2019, a thabhairt go dtí an Dara Céim. It is nice to be back here. While this is normally not done until the end of a debate, when a Bill is successful, I thank the teams of officials in...

Seanad: Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019: Second Stage (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My reply to the debate may be brief as I am due to be in the Dáil at 5 p.m. If the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, appears, I will disappear. Rather than read the prepared concluding speech, I will take the time to make a few points. First, I welcome greatly the tone and approach of the House to the Bill, on which we will work together. There are areas where we can try to meet,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. 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. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (2 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a major capital project for the school in question is included in my Department's school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan. This project necessitates the acquistion of a new site and a number of site options were identified by Galway Co. Council.  These were comprehensively assessed and a preferred site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (2 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: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (2 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: Living Wage (2 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department issues Circulars detailing pre-determined salary scales which are negotiated at central level.   I am advised that all staff paid on payrolls operated by my Department are paid in excess of €12.30 per hour. There are also a significant cohort of staff paid directly by Agencies and/or Bodies coming under the aegis of my Department.  Information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (2 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...

Status of History in the Framework for Junior Cycle: Statements (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí as a gcuid teachtaireachtaí éagsúla tábhachtacha anocht. Chuir Baill na Dála an-bhrú orm thar an bhliain seo thart maidir leis an gcinneadh seo. Ba mhaith liom mo aitheantas a thabhairt chuig na dreamanna agus na heagrais uilig fá choinne a dtiomantas thar na blianta. Labhair go leor Teachtaí anocht faoi na...

Status of History in the Framework for Junior Cycle: Statements (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Core status means core status. It means ensuring the importance of history as students progress and transition from primary to secondary school. It also means looking at more creative and innovative ways of ensuring that the percentage take up of history after the junior certificate increases. At the moment, nine out of ten students study history at junior certificate level and while that...

Status of History in the Framework for Junior Cycle: Statements (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Our appetite to learn more about our past has grown since the decade of centenaries. A new interest has been awoken in people of all ages across the country in the struggle for Home Rule, the 1913 Lockout, the tens of thousands of Irish people who marched off to fight in the First World War, the events of Easter 1916 and the aftermath that led to the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: We are pulling together information now to try to establish how many are involved and what is required. I have had meetings with my officials about the matter and met representatives from Fórsa regarding other matters three months ago. In my first week as Minister, I raised this issue in the Dáil. It has been outstanding since 1978. There have been 23 Ministers responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (1 Oct 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 school secretaries about their employment conditions and understand the issues they have raised. Earlier this year I relaxed the moratorium for those C&C and ETB schools with enrolments of 700 and more which allow them to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (1 Oct 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 school secretaries about their employment conditions and understand the issues they have raised. Earlier this year I relaxed the moratorium for those C&C and ETB schools with enrolments of 700 and more which allow them to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: Enabling children with Special Educational Needs including Autism to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for me and the Government.  Nearly one euro in every five of this budget, about €1.9 billion, is invested in supporting children with special educational needs in schools.  Since 2011, the Government has increased the number of Special education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department is currently exploring alternative temporary accommodation for use by the school referred to by the Deputy. In relation to permanent accommodation for the school, a project manager has been appointed to undertake the master planning of an existing school site to demonstrate how the accommodation needs of this school and the existing school already...