Results 4,341-4,360 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the provision of new accommodation for the schools in question is included in my Department’s capital programme. The project to provide this school accommodation requires the acquisition of a suitable site and this has proved to be extremely challenging to date, despite the best efforts of my Department and of officials in Donegal County Council who are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I recognise the very important work done by school secretaries, and indeed by other support staff, in the running of our schools and I am grateful to them for the contribution they make to our education system. I have spoken to a number of school secretaries about their employment conditions and understand the issues they have raised. I have recently relaxed the moratorium for those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department's July Provision Grant Scheme provides funding for an extended school year for students with severe or profound intellectual disabilities and students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The scheme was developed to reduce potential regression in learning associated with these specific categories of special education needs over the summer holidays. The National Council for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 was passed by the Oireachtas on 4th July 2018, and was signed into law by the President on the 18th July 2018. The Act will create a more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy should operate for schools. The first stage of commencement on 3rd October 2018 brought a number of sections of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I announced on 27thMay that 792 additional SNA posts will be allocated to schools for the beginning of the 2019/20 school year, with up to 130 additional posts expected to be allocated by December 2019. By the end of this year, there will be up to 15,950 SNAs working in our schools, an increase of over 51% since 2011. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (25 Jun 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: Teacher Supply (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Management bodies and schools have, in recent years, reported difficulties in recruiting teachers. At primary level this relates mainly to the recruitment of substitute teachers and at post primary to the recruitment of teachers of particular subjects such as STEM, modern foreign languages, Irish and Home Economics. In response to these difficulties, the Teacher Supply Steering Group, which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny This major building project is included on my Department’s ADAPT Programme. My Department is currently in the process of finalising the appointment of a Project Manager for this Programme. The process to appoint a Design Team for this project has also recently commenced and is underway. Gaelscoil na gCeithre Maistrí This major building...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (25 Jun 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 €36,318 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692. Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and Pensions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am aware of the need for increased specialist education provision in the Dublin area. The Government is spending nearly one euro in every five of the education budget on special education – about €1.9 billion in 2019. We have significantly increased the availability of special placements for children with special educational needs as well as bringing more and more children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Firstly, I would like to reiterate the Government's commitment to the future sustainability of the Castlebar Campus of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) which was the motivation for establishing the Working Group so as to develop a plan to safeguard the future of the campus. The Report of the Working Group was published in December 2017. It provides a wide-ranging assessment of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Insurance Costs (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The work done by the 124 special schools is invaluable. Since my appointment as Minister I have had the opportunity to visit a number of these schools and see first hand the work they do. My Department is aware of issues relating to very significant increases in insurance costs in some special schools, through correspondence received from some special schools, through discussions with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I announced on 27thMay that 792 additional SNA posts will be allocated to schools for the beginning of the 2019/20 school year, with up to 130 additional posts expected to be allocated by December 2019. By the end of this year, there will be up to 15,950 SNAs working in our schools, an increase of over 51% since 2011. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (25 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Funding (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Government has significantly increased investment in education and training. My Department's gross expenditure allocation in 2019 will be nearly €10.8 billion, the highest amount ever allocated to education and training. Since 2016, the Department's allocation has increased by around €1.7 billion, an increase of some 18.7%. It is also important to note that GDP,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: In the case of all new schools, it is general practice to include a Special Education Needs Base (SEN Base) in the accommodation brief for new school buildings, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required. Typically, a two classroom SEN Base is provided in new primary schools and a two or four classroom SEN Base is provided in new post primary schools. The Government is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Eligibility (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: As previously advised, my Department is currently undertaking data analysis in the context of resource allocation to match identified need, including the examination of variables known to be strong predictors of educational disadvantage. All schools at both Primary and Post Primary are being assessed using the new identification model. This analysis is being carried out by members of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Circulars (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Circular 0038/2018, which issued to schools last year requires all schools to consult with teachers, students and parents in developing policy for the use of smart phones and personal devices in school. This requirement to consult will be underpinned in law once the Students and Parent Charter Bill is enacted. I will publish this Bill in the Autumn. Schools are not required to report to my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: At this juncture it is premature to give a timeline for the delivery of the new building to replace the school to which the Deputy refers. A new site is required for the replacement building and my Department has commenced the site identification process. When a suitable site is identified and agreed for purchase, architectural planning for the new building has to be undertaken and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oireachtas Joint Committee Reports (25 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The mission of my Department as set out in Cumasú, my Department's Action Plan for Education 2019, is to facilitate individuals through learning to achieve their full potential and contribute to Ireland's social economic and cultural development. Goal 2 in the Action Plan commits to advancing the progress of learners at risk of educational disadvantage and learners with special...