Results 3,561-3,580 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, I recently announced that five new primary schools being established from 2020-2022, including the new school to be established in Donabate in 2020, are being designated for Irish-medium education.  The patronage process for the new school will commence later this year, when parents of eligible children in the school planning area will be asked to express...

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

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, in April 2018 the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country.  A patronage process is run after it has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Construction Contracts (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which she refers has been devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). I can inform the Deputy that a preferred tenderer in respect of the project has been identified by KWETB. As the tender process in that respect has not yet concluded, I am not in a position to confirm the identity of the relevant contractor...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Payments (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department's approach in relation to the Minor Works Grant is for it to be paid in either December or January of each school year.  An announcement with regard to the timing of the payment of the Minor Works Grant for the current school year will be made in due course. A total of just under €29m was paid out from my Department under the Minor Works Grant in 2018 for the...

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

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 216 and 218 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that 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...

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: 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: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: This building project is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The project is currently at Stage 2B of the Architectural Planning process – Detailed Design Stage which includes securing statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. The pre-qualification of contractors process...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am aware that the project to which the Deputy refers provides for two mainstream classrooms and a WC for assisted users under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this project has been approved to proceed to the planning application stage. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority so it is now a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 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: Schools Amalgamation (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision making authority for any amalgamation belongs to the Patron/Trustees of the school, and this is subject to the approval of the Department. My Department understands that the school authority will consider the timing of the amalgamation in the context of the delivery of the building project. The project is...

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

Joe McHugh: The engagement of external providers to support delivery of the curriculum is a matter for the board of management of the school in question. Department Circulars set out the best practice guidelines for engagement of external facilitators for schools at Post Primary and Primary level and can be found at the following links: . .

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a project has been included on my Department’s Capital Programme to provide permanent accommodation for the school referred to.  In order to progress this project, a new site is required. In this regard, officials in Sligo County Council are working under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites to secure a site for the...

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

Joe McHugh: With regard to the report referred to by the Deputy, a number of recommendations have already been implemented by my Department, prior to the publication of the report.  In 2018, my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and Inspectorate conducted an appraisal of the education settings in the  Emergency Reception Orientation Centres (EROCs) and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. The starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702. As a result of the programme of pay restoration, the starting salary of a teacher is now €36,953 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692. Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 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: Capital Expenditure Programme (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: I will arrange for a response to issue directly to the Deputy in relation to this question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department's approach in relation to the Minor Works Grant is for it to be paid in either December or January of each school year.  An announcement with regard to the timing of the payment of the Minor Works Grant for the current school year will be made in due course. A total of just under €29m was paid out from my Department under the Minor Works Grant in 2018 for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (1 Oct 2019)

Joe McHugh: The school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for replacement of corroded load bearing PVC windows to front and rear of school (Category 7) under my Department’s multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2020 onwards. I wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the SWS in 2020, applications will be assessed on a top...