Results 4,701-4,720 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: That is absolutely no problem. I agree with everything the Senator said. It is important to reassure members of the public in Inishowen, in particular in Moville, and the student body, that we will work together on this. I put in timeframes that I want to see met. I do not want to delve too much into the termination of the contract of the architect because it is not finalised yet but...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Senator for raising this issue on which we are intensively working. We have a budget of more than €1.9 billion for special needs and a Department budget of €11 billion, which represents quite a substantial injection of money.We have 1,500 SNAs. We got an additional 950 this year. Special classes have increased from fewer than 500 to approximately 1,500 since 2011....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: We have been working on a school inclusion pilot project for Kildare and Wicklow and parts of south Dublin that will involve 75 schools and preschools.That understanding of need at an early stage is critical. Regardless of whatever resources are needed in the aftermath, it has to be done in a comprehensive way whether it involves speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, complex...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to provide an update to the House on the current position regarding the external precautionary measures remediation works of Ardgillan community college, part of which is closed since last October, following the identification of significant structural issues. No doubt the House will be aware that, in October and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I would be hoping that we are in a position to have the vast majority of those 22 schools completed by September. Given the significant impact on Ardgillan community college - it was the only school where they had to decamp on a permanent basis - I certainly will ensure that it will be prioritised and ready for September, if possible.Some works in the 22 schools may continue into October but...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The terms of the teachers superannuation schemes provide for pensionability of teachers, employed by school management authorities, whose salaries are paid through the school staff payroll operated by my Department.  Under the pension scheme provisions, teachers employed by school management who are in excess of the quota of teachers for which the Department pays salary, may not become...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The school building project referred to by the Deputy was tendered in 2018. Following the publication of tender documents, it became necessary to re-tender this project arising from a change in circumstances resulting in additional requirements which were not included in the original published tender documents.  The further requirements will be set out in the specification for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 to 230, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Court of Human Rights Judgments (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: In 2015, the State responded to the ECtHR judgment by setting up an ex-gratia scheme to specifically address the position of persons who had discontinued their proceedings against the State the wake of a number of High Court Judgments and the Supreme Court judgment in the O’Keeffe case. In 2017, an Independent Assessor, retired High Court Judge, Mr Iarfhlaith O’Neill was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Cork Education and Training Board (CETB). My Department recently gave approval to CETB to issue the Letter of Acceptance for the project to MMD Construction (Cork) Ltd.  It is expected that the contractor will commence works on site before the end of May 2019.  I am unable to release the details...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Provision (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Departments Home Tuition Grant Scheme provides funding towards a compensatory educational service for children where a school placement is not available as confirmed by the NCSE, through the local Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). The availability of a school placement is assessed by the NCSE local SENO having regard to documentary evidence provided by Parents in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Chuir mo Roinnse go suntasach leis an Straitéis 20 bliain uile-Rialtais don Ghaeilge le plean Gníomhaíochta 5 bliana don Ghaeilge 2018 – 2022 a seoladh i samhradh na bliana 2018. Sa chaibidil dar teideal “Réimse Gnímh – Oideachas” tá 48 as 187 beart atá sa Phlean agus ainmníodh mo Roinnse mar phríomheagraíocht a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: On 27thMarch I announced the trialling of the School Inclusion Model – a new model of support for students with special educational and additional care needs. The School Inclusion Model, supported by €4.75m funding allocated in Budget 2019, aims to build schools’ capacity to include children with additional needs and to provide other supports for pupils. The achievement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: On 27thMarch I announced the trialling of the School Inclusion Model – a new model of support for students with special educational and additional care needs. The School Inclusion Model, supported by €4.75m funding allocated in Budget 2019, aims to build schools’ capacity to include children with additional needs and to provide other supports for pupils. The achievement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The position on working hours for SNAs is that there are no nationally set working hours for full-time SNAs. In this regard, the contractual position in respect of the working hours of SNAs is as outlined in their contracts of employment which were agreed with the school management authorities and the relevant Trade Unions representing SNAs (FÓRSA and SIPTU) prior to their introduction...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The delivery of a replacement building for the school 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department understands that post primary schools in Ennis have made offers of school places and some of those offers have yet to accepted. In addition, students may have applied to and been offered places in a number of schools and have yet to accept or decline these offers or have accepted a place in more than one school. As the Deputy may be aware, the Education (Admission to Schools)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Redeployment (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers. Arrangements for panel access for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances is a matter for the schools themselves. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under the Department’s Design & Build programme.  The project is currently at advanced architectural planning which includes the preparation of the planning application.  The Design & Build Project Management Team lodged Planning permission on 2ndMay 2019. The timeframe...