Results 3,881-3,900 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Private Schools (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Gross expenditure on the order of €95 million was incurred in 2018 on salaries for teachers and special needs assistants (including employer’s PRSI).  The total amount spent on Capital Expenditure (including ICT grants) in 2018 was on the order €0.958 million. If the parents of children in the fee charging sector chose to send their children to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Data (6 Sep 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: Teachers' Occupational Health (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: An Occupational Health Strategy is in place as a supportive resource for teachers.  The aim of this strategy is to promote the health of teachers in the workplace, with a focus primarily on prevention rather than cure. The Occupational Health Strategy comprises of the Employee Assistance & Wellbeing Programme (EAWP) and the Occupational Health Service.  EAP Consultants...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, this school was one of a number of schools for which a transfer to multi-denominational patronage was proposed this year.  Arrangements regarding staffing have been made by the outgoing and incoming patrons and I can confirm that the transfer of patronage has been effected.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Expenditure by the Department of Education & Skills on Lotus Notes Licences from 2009 to 2019 is as per the following spreadsheet. Expected expenditure on renewal of Lotus Notes Licences for the next five years is €115,000. Department of Education and Skills - Expenditure on Lotus Notes Licences Year Total 2009 €30,345.67 2010 €25,039.96 2010...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for this school is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained. Following a legal challenge, authorisation to re-commence the pre-qualification...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Facilities (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352, 353 and 354 together. Under project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under project Ireland 2040. I wish to advise the Deputy that the current...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoil Issues (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 355 and 356 together. My Department is currently considering a request from the school referred to by the Deputy for permanent recognition status.  Upon completion of the process, an official from my Department will contact the school authority directly. It is not possible at this point to indicate when a site will be acquired.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: 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 educational needs. This includes taking account of the flow of students from primary into post primary. The NCSE works with families and schools to ensure that advance planning is in place so that schools in an area can,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As Minister I have a power under Section 37A of the Education Act 1998 to direct a school to provide additional provision where all reasonable efforts have failed.   The legislation provides for a very transparent series of steps which can ultimately lead to the issuing of a legally binding direction to a board of management.  The initial step in the process is for the NCSE to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Capitation funding is intended to contribute towards the cost of heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. Capitation funding provided to schools, including enhanced capitation grants for special classes, may be regarded as a common grant which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities. My Department recognises the need to improve capitation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: To date, in 2019, inspectors have conducted Evaluations of Provision for Pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN evaluations) in 41 schools, located throughout the country. This involved visits to 85 ASD special classes across these 41 schools.  The Inspectorate’s findings on the quality of education in these special classes were incorporated into the inspection reports on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 361 to 364, inclusive, and Question No. 366 together. The works required to implement precautionary measures at the school to which the Deputy refers have been completed. The school opened as planned on the 28thof August last. I understand that the crèche returned on the 26thof August. The work completed entails some internal engineering solutions and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Crèche Facilities Provision (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not have any remit for the provision of crèche facilities in schools. In some cases, school authorities have facilitated a pre-school service on school property which involves the use of spare capacity within an existing building. The priority for schools is mainstream educational provision for pupils and should schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department is committed to protecting the rights and privacy of individuals in accordance with both European Union and Irish data protection legislation. As part of this commitment my Department has proactively supported training and awareness of both key staff and the wider Department. Beginning prior to the implementation date of 25thMay 2018, my Department undertook a “GDPR...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Administration (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: Different State support schemes have different objectives. The Department's statutory based student grant scheme has its own particular objectives which is to provide additional assistance where parental income is below a certain threshold or, in the case of independent mature students, where the level of income of the student and his or her spouse warrants additional assistance by way of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: A building project at the schools referred to by the Deputy is in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The Department has completed the process for the appointment of a Design Team including an Architect, Civil/Structural Engineer, Building Services Engineer, Quantity Surveyor, and Project Supervisor Design Process for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022) including a new 16-classroom primary school to be established in 2020 to serve the Carrigaline school planning area. This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained. The Stage 2(b) submission for this project has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (6 Sep 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department aims to provide quality services to our customers and this is underpinned in our Customer Charter. If a customer is unhappy with the service they have received, there is a complaints procedure in place to address these instances. Details of this procedure  is available on the Department's website. The complaints procedure advises customers on making a...