Results 4,521-4,540 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (13 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I announced on 27 May 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. The total number of posts available for allocation for September 2019 is 15,822, increased from the current allocation of 15,030 SNA posts. By the end of this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Closures (13 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware the decision making authority for any amalgamation is the Patron/Trustees of the schools, and this is subject to the approval of my Department. Any proposed amalgamation involves extensive negotiations at local level and must be well planned and managed in a manner that accommodates the interests of students, parents, teachers,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (13 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2015 - 2019 sets out the circumstances in which Board members may be removed or membership of a board of management shall cease. Section 16 of the Education Act, 1998, provides that a patron may, with the consent of the Minister, for good and valid reasons stated in writing to a member of a board of management remove that member from that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (13 Jun 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (12 Jun 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 (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b (Detailed Design).  The Stage 2(b) submission has been reviewed by my Department and comments have issued to the school and its Design Team. The Design Team is currently working on a submission to my Department outlining the steps required to achieve...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (12 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: Digital Strategy for Schools (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: A key priority of the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 is the adaptation of the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for the Irish context drawing also from other relevant European and international digital competency frameworks. The localisation of these frameworks led to the development of the Digital Learning Framework (DLF) which is currently being disseminated to all schools. The DLF...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). I can inform the Deputy that the NDFA has started preparations for the appointment of a design team for the project.  This appointment will be a key first step in the design and construction stages.  While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (12 Jun 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fund for Students with Disabilities (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) provides financial support to higher education institutions to ensure that they are adequately resourced to cater for the needs of students with disabilities. The Fund provides grants towards the individual needs assessment, provision of services, purchase of equipment and provision of academic supports for students with disabilities.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (12 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: School Catchment Areas (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data in a way that takes account of the significant local and regional variations in demographic trends and enrolment projections, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. Using school planning area boundaries within my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (12 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, I met with members of the Glenroe school Working Group earlier in the year.  Following this meeting, my Department received supporti ng documentation from the Group which is currently under review.  A response will issue in due course once the information has been evaluated.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that approval has been granted under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme to Gael Scoil Uí Riada to carry out necessary repairs to the school building.  The school authority, to whom the project has been devolved for delivery, has been notified of this decision directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (12 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: A Major 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 brief for this project is to provide a new 1000 pupil post primary school at the existing school site. The major building project is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning - Stage 2b (Detailed Design)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: The decision to stop the Gaeltacht placement grants was taken during the economic crisis when, unfortunately, very difficult decisions had to be made to stabilise the nation's finances.  At the time, priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible. While there is no provision currently in my Department's budget for this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: Junior Cycle Physical Education Under the new Framework, schools may choose to incorporate a new Short Course in Physical Education (PE) into their junior cycle programme, either for certification purposes (which was not available previously) or not for certification. Alternatively, they may choose not to opt for the new course and may instead continue to use existing courses or choose other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas Gaeltachta (11 Jun 2019)

Joe McHugh: - Tá líon na mbunscoileanna agus na niar-bhunscoileanna sna limistéir pleanála teanga Ghaeltachta atá rannpháirteach sa Scéim Aitheantais Scoileanna Gaeltachta ag an bpointe seo leagtha amach sa doiciméad ceangailte.  Tá líon na scoileanna nár chuir isteach ar an Scéim go fóill...