Results 3,581-3,600 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

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

Joe McHugh: Religious education is one of the seven curricular areas of the Primary School Curriculum (1999) and schools are currently required to allocate thirty minutes per day for religious education.  However, unlike other subject areas, the content of the religious curriculum provided by primary schools is not set by the Department of Education and Skills. Section 30 of the Education Act...

Report on Relationships and Sexuality Education: Motion (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I will be brief because I will not repeat what I have said and will certainly not repeat the contributions made. As usual, valuable input has been provided, bringing this debate to the right place, that is, to the centre not just of maturity but also of normality. We have a duty in this regard to ensure we put in place the proper curriculum that meets the needs of 21st-century Ireland. As...

Report on Relationships and Sexuality Education: Motion (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Tá brón orm.

Report on Relationships and Sexuality Education: Motion (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Níl sé ar fáil. Tháinig mé amach ó chruinniú Rialtais. I just came from a Government meeting. I apologise for this. I am digressing a good bit so what I am saying it not exactly what is in the script. I am adopting my usual delivery. The NCCA is also working directly with schools to examine the experience of RSE in the classroom. Let us call a spade a...

Report on Relationships and Sexuality Education: Motion (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I will deal with the Deputy's final point first. I see no problem with the committee being part of the review process after the NCCA produces the guidelines. I acknowledge the role of the committee in terms of its observations and contributions. One thing I have learned from almost a year in this job is that there is a good diversity of opinion on the committee and it is very healthy and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Pyrite Issues (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I have studied this case since the Deputy first spoke about it and have spoken to a number of people in the Department about it. Not since 2006 has a school under the design and build programme been left in this totally unacceptable position. This is in addition to the current impasse around Western Building Systems, WBS, which is currently before the Commercial Court. We are also carrying...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Pyrite Issues (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me an opportunity to update the House on the position with respect to St. Patrick's national school, Diswellstown. I am aware of the pyrite issue in this school and the health and safety issues to which it gives rise. I fully understand and appreciate the concerns of the entire school community and the need to address them as quickly and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a request for tenders for the appointment of a programme manager and design team for the project has recently been issued by the NDFA. While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the project,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The project will bring the school accommodation up to 16 mainstream classrooms and a 2-classroom Special Educational Needs Base. This project is one of the school building projects on my Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The building contractor delivering the project referred to by the deputy has experienced a number of delay issues throughout the course of the works. The project had been scheduled for completion in March 2019; however, the contractor has now issued a revised programme targeting completion in the second quarter of 2020. My Department is in regular contact with the Board of Management of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the delivery of the project for Naas Community College has been devolved to Kildare and Wicklow Education & Training Board (KWETB). I can confirm that a preferred contractor has been identified and we understand from KWETB that a letter of intent has now issued.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The main financial support available for qualifying postgraduate students is the Student Grant Scheme. Postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible for a maintenance grant of up to €5,915; the income threshold in 2019/20 for this grant is €24,000. Qualifying postgraduate students may also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Data (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department’s overall annual spend on the DEIS Programme is approximately €125 million. Additional funding is provided by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for the School Meals Programme and by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs for the School Completion Programme. The information requested by the Deputy for this school year is set out in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Reviews (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Please see attached response to the same PQ issued directly by the State Examinations Commission on 9th September. ">Exam Results

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Development Plan 2018 to 2027 includes provision for an €8.4 billion investment programme in our school buildings infrastructure. The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. Year Primary(€m) Post-Primary(€m) Total(€m) 2019 (to date ) 245.468 177.816 423.284 2018 297.223 249.89 547.113 2017 327.628 204.477 532.105...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As requested by the Deputy, the expenditure (including deposits and fees) on school site acquisitions for the years 2010 to 2018 is attached. I am not in a position to release the expenditure for 2019 due to commercial sensitivities. EXPENDITURE (includes deposits and fees) ON SCHOOL SITE ACQUISITIONS 2010 - 2018 YEAR EXPENDITURE (€m) 2018 53.737 2017 10.409 2016 31.634 2015...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Departments Special Education Home Tuition Grant scheme provides funding towards a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement for whom such a placement is not available. The scheme also provides for early intervention for children with Autism. The application forms and related Circular for this year’s scheme were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (26 Sep 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 teacher is not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Catchment Areas (26 Sep 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: Schools Building Projects (26 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 95 together. The building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department's Design & Build programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction. The next step in the process will...