Results 4,741-4,760 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

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

Joe McHugh: I can confirm that Department officials are working to put a solution for the permanent accommodation for the school in question in place at the earliest possible date.  Engagement with relevant stakeholders is ongoing in that regard. Unfortunately it is not possible to indicate a timeline for the confirmation of a location for the school at this point but I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (21 May 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: School Accommodation (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Despite requests from my Department, the Landlord involved did not want to extend the lease so that the school to which the Deputy refers could remain on their land past the current academic year 2018/2019.  They had required my Department to confirm that the school would vacate the property at end June 2019.   Clearly, my Department could not give such...

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

Joe McHugh: 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 into mainstream education. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a...

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

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school, in question, has recently submitted an application to my Department for capital funding, for a Special Educational Needs Base.  This application is currently under assessment.  As soon as the assessment process has been completed a decision will be relayed to the school authority directly 

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

Joe McHugh: My Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, for additional accommodation, at the school referred to by the Deputy. Officials from my Department have been liaising with the school authority in this regard and additional information has been received.  The application is being processed and as soon as the assessment process has been completed the decision...

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

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan.  In the context of progressing the building project, my Department undertook a technical site visit to the school. My Department has advised the school authority that it is...

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

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that last October and November my Department carried out initial structural assessments into 42 schools constructed by a particular contractor. In 22 of these schools precautionary measures were implemented to enable continued safe occupation and part of the school to which the Deputy refers was closed following the identification of significant structural...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (21 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The matters raised by the protected disclosure are still under consideration by my Department. This process has not yet fully concluded.   My Department will write to the Discloser when its consideration of the protected disclosure has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (16 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils' not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a place for every applicant, a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (16 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: Individual school boards of management have responsibility for the establishment of special classes. When the NCSE sanction a special class in a school, the school can apply to my Department for capital funding to re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class and/or to construct additional accommodation. The Deputy is aware that the NCSE formally advised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (16 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department submitted a planning application to Meath County Council on Tuesday 14 May 2019 for the interim accommodation for the school to which the Deputy refers. A decision is awaited.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Applications (16 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme. This was refused as it was for retrospective funding of works which progressed without prior approval by the Department. School authorities should be aware that they are responsible for the management of funding for any expenditure incurred by them or members of their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Reform (16 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The statutory based Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations are reviewed annually by my Department, following consultation with various stakeholders. The Student Grant Scheme and Student Support Regulations for the 2019/20 academic year, were published on 11 April 2019. SUSI's online grant application system opened on 25 April 2019. Details of this scheme can be accessed via...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (16 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is providing grant funding to facilitate the construction of a Special Needs Base at St Francis of Assisi National School, Belmayne, Dublin 13 and Belmayne Educate Together National School. My Department will be in contact with the Boards of Management of both schools shortly in the context of initiating the architectural planning process to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (16 May 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 Accommodation Provision (16 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to inform the Deputy that generally, where schools require temporary accommodation including prefabs, the school authority is responsible for acquiring this accommodation and the rental contract is between the school authority and the supplying contractor. As the rental grant-aid is devolved to schools, my Department does not hold records of all contracts held by school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (16 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Design Team is currently in the process of completing the pre-qualification process to select a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers' Remuneration (16 May 2019)

Joe McHugh: The criteria for the award of incremental credit to Post-Primary teachers who are teaching in an Oireachtas funded post are contained in Department Circulars 29/2007 and 29/2010. The criteria contained in these Circulars were agreed under the auspices of the Teacher Conciliation Council. This Council is comprised of representatives of the teacher unions, school management bodies, the...