Results 4,221-4,240 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment and are available on the Department's website. A pupil teacher ratio (ptr) of 19:1 is applied to all second-level schools in the Free-Education System. A ptr of 23:1 is applied to the 52 schools in the fee-charging sector. Each 1...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Student Contribution, was introduced with effect from the 2011/12 academic year. While the student contribution now stands at €3,000, it is important to recognise that there has been no increase in the contribution since 2014/15. It is estimated that the net cost to my Department of abolishing the contribution would cost approximately €229 million. This figure is based on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The notional cost of building a classroom, at current building costs, for a primary school is €176,937.50 including VAT and for a post primary school is €165,762.50 including VAT. The projects that are planned for the next five years are already at various stages of Architectural Planning, many of which have statutory approvals in place such as Planning Permission, Fire...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: An application for funding to works on the playground of the school referred to by the Deputy was received. Unfortunately, it was deemed that the scope of works for the project was considered to be outside the terms of the Emergency Works Scheme and it could not be considered for emergency funding in that context. The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme is solely for unforeseen...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: 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 the re profiling occurred, some schools gained...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund, ceased to accept applications on 1 August 2018 and I understand that it expects to have substantially completed the processing of remaining applications and associated payments to or on behalf of former residents by August/September of this year. The organisation will commence its wind down at that stage and will be dissolved when it has...

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

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which he refers is devolved for delivery to Westmeath County Council (WCC). It appears from the latest programme provided by the contractor for this project that the building will not be fully occupied until this coming October. I am extremely disappointed and frustrated with this latest development. WCC, which is responsible for managing the...

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: School Costs (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Voluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition. The manner in which voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management, however their collection should be such as not to create a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Grievance Procedures (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The complaint procedures currently operated by most schools are those that have been agreed between the teacher unions and school management bodies. The Office of the Ombudsman for Children may also independently investigate complaints in relation to schools provided the school's complaints procedures have been followed. The Ombudsman for Children accepts complaints from children and young...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: In-service Training (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The governance structure of schools is such that, in accordance with the Education Act 1998 schools are managed by boards of management on behalf of the relevant school patrons. Under the Act, each board of management, in carrying out its functions, is required to do so in accordance with the policies determined by the Minister. In primary schools the agreed composition and procedures...

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

Joe McHugh: The 20 major school building projects which are the longest at stage 2(b) are detailed in the following table. The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table. Of the 20 projects listed, 9 continue to have the full design team that was appointed at the start of the project. In the case of one of the projects, the full design team has been replaced twice and in the case of...

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

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application, for additional school accommodation, from the school authority in question. Officials from my Department have recently corresponded with the school Patron and on receipt of their response the application will be progressed and the decision will issue to the school authority directly.

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

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that the project to which he refers is devolved to the OPW for delivery. I am pleased to confirm that the Stage 2B report (preparation of tender documentation) has been received from the OPW and is currently being reviewed by officials in my Department. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the OPW has confidence that the enabling works on site., whcih had been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Applications (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has a Category 10 application under my Department's 2015 Summer Works Scheme. It is intended to undertake an analysis of these outstanding applications later this year. This analysis, together with funding availability and priorities for the SWS in 2020 will determine the pathway forward in respect of these remaining applications.

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

Joe McHugh: The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. As the enrolment of the school referred to by the Deputy fell below the retention figure for the eighth teacher, one teaching post will be suppressed for the coming school year. The staffing...

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

Joe McHugh: For the Deputy’s information, studies, reviews and research undertaken or commissioned by my Department has been taken to refer to such tasks undertaken by external consultants. The information in relation to such engagements in 2018 is available at www.education.ie/en/Publications/Corporate-Reports/Financial -Reports/Expenditure-on-Consultancy/expenditure-on-consultan...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategy Statements (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: The information sought by the Deputy is contained in the following table. Name of current Policy Documents or Strategies published by the Department of Education and Skills Year Published National Strategy: Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life 2011-2020 Interim Review 2016 ( Additional 4 Targets 2017-2020 published in 2017) 2016 Action Plan to Expand Apprenticeship and...

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

Joe McHugh: I understand from recent correspondence from the Deputy that the company in question runs a programme in media literacy, cyber awareness for young people including mindfulness It is the policy of my Department not to endorse or promote any commercial product or service, professional consultant or company. In this case the endorsement might be seen as advice to parents and schools in what...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Universal Support Ireland (2 Jul 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic attainment and means. The eligibility criteria for student grants including the grant rates is reviewed annually in my Department and approved by the Department of...