Results 4,201-4,220 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (3 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: My aim for Budget 2020 is to progressively deliver on the commitments set out in the Programme for Government, the Confidence and Supply Arrangement and my Department's Statement of Strategy and Action Plan, and to meet demographic and demand pressures.  Over the past number of years, the Government has invested significant additional resources in education and training, which has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (2 Jul 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, in consultation with the relevant education partners and the Health Service Executive (HSE). This includes the establishment of special class and special school placements in various geographical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (2 Jul 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, which is...

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

Joe McHugh: This project was authorised to complete pre-qualification in April 2019. The final pre-qualification report was submitted to my Department on 23 May. Final confirmations have been sought while the final pre-qualification report is reviewed.

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

Joe McHugh: This project was authorised to complete pre-qualification in April 2019. The final pre-qualification report was submitted to my Department on 23 May. Final confirmations have been sought while the final pre-qualification report is reviewed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: 105 primary schools are currently participating in the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme to strengthen the provision of Irish-medium education in these schools. 14 of the primary schools are located in Co Kerry Gaeltacht areas and while one of these schools was due to lose a classroom teacher for the 2019/20 school year due to falling enrolments, the school have successfully appealed this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of play space, where site conditions and circumstances allow, is one of the issues considered in the architectural design of new schools and major extensions. My Department's design guidelines for schools include guidance in the provision of P.E. Halls, general purpose rooms and outdoor hard play areas such as basketball courts. Other P.E....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education Facilities (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a playing pitch is being provided at the education campus in question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The main support available to students is the statutory based SUSI grant scheme. The scheme supported circa 78,000 students in 2018/19. Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme funding outside of the State is only available at undergraduate level. Details regarding the student grant scheme can be accessed at www.susi.ie. Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: I strongly support any measures that can be put in place to reduce back to school costs for parents. It is important that we work to make life easier for families and this is a priority for this Government. In the Action Plan for Education, I have committed to the restoration of capitation payments. My Department has commenced the process of restoring capitation this year with a 5%...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Data (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: For the Deputy's information I set out in the following link disaggregated data for the period 2008/2009 - 2017/2018 as collated by the Higher Education Authority on the composition by nationality of the third level student population in the State, including both full time and part time students. HEA data is compiled by reference to the student’s domicile of origin and permanent...

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

Joe McHugh: I can confirm that a project to deliver a permanent building for the school to which the Deputy refers is included on my Department's capital programme and the acquisition of a site is required to facilitate this project. Officials in my Department have been working closely with officials from the relevant Local Authority under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: As a consequence of the economic crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country’s public finances. The Government approved a number of measures relating to public service allowances following a public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments conducted by the then Minister for Public Expenditure and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oireachtas Joint Committee Reports (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Following the submission to the Department of Education and Skills of correspondence outlining the challenges facing island schools, including the Report on Challenges Facing Island Schoolspublished in February 2018 by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills, an intra departmental working group was established within the Department to consider the matters raised. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Salary scales for teachers are based on the date of their first qualified appointment to an Oireachtas funded post as follows: A person first appointed to an Oireachtas funded teaching post between 1 January 2011 and 31 January 2012, whose date of first qualified Oireachtas funded teaching service is– - before 5 December 2011, is paid on the 1 January 2011 qualified pay scale and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Digital Strategy for Schools (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will appreciate that no one factor can specifically be attributed to the quality of teaching and learning and student academic performance in State examinations and there are no plans to examine the Digital Learning Framework (DLF) in this context. However the effective use of digital technologies, as outlined in the DLF and which is for use by all schools, will enhance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (2 Jul 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: Springboard Programme (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Springboard+ which incorporates the ICT skills conversion programme, is a targeted initiative which is used to provide funding for higher education courses aimed at meeting the need for in-demand skills in the economy. Springboard+ supports jobseekers to return to employment and those in employment to upskill or reskill. Courses approved for funding under Springboard+ are in areas of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (2 Jul 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 1,300...