Results 5,081-5,100 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaelscoil Issues (17 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department establishes and supports new schools where a demographic need for a new school has been identified. Pre-opening capitation funding and start-up grants are available to new Irish-medium and English-medium schools established in this way, and ongoing funding and resources are provided in line with national norms. I am taking the Deputy’s reference to “new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (17 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government includes a commitment of reaching 400 multi-/non-denominational schools in Ireland by the year 2030. The Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity Process is aimed at assisting in achieving this target by transferring existing schools from denominational to multi-/non-denominational patronage in line with the wishes of the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Provision (17 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The purpose of my Department’s Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for students enrolled in school, with a significant medical condition which has, and is likely to cause, major disruption to their attendance in school on a continuing basis.  Home tuition is not an alternative to a school placement and is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff Data (17 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The following table gives details of the staffing cohort at my Department's Inspectorate division from 2008 to 2018 as requested by the Deputy. Staffing in the Inspectorate Grade 31-Dec-08 31-Dec-09 31-Dec-10 31-Dec-11 31-Dec-12 31-Dec-13 Chief Inspector 1.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Deputy Chief Inspector 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 Assistant Chief Inspector 11.00 7.00 6.00 8.00...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (17 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that I met yesterday with local principals, the ETB and public representatives including the Deputy herself to discuss this project to which she refers. I can add that the matters referred to by her were discussed at that meeting which was attended by the local Education and Training Board (KWETB) as well as other school representatives....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (17 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (LMETB).  A number of design issues have arisen with this project. These have included issues relating to the need for additional security features for the proposed building that became apparent at tender stage and which required a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: This is a major issue. I am on the public record as stating that it constitutes unfinished business. Within the framework and the parameters of the public service pay agreement, we will continue to make it a priority.

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

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), an independent agency of my Department, is responsible for planning, coordinating and advising on education provision for children with special educational needs. This includes taking account of the flow of students from primary into post primary. The Council ensures that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Data (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 163 together. The National Council for Special education (NCSE), an independent agency of my Department, is responsible for planning, coordinating and advising on education provision for children with special educational needs. This includes taking account of the flow of students from primary into post primary. The Council ensures that schools in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I fully recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools. I am pleased to have been able to provide for a 5% increase in capitation funding for primary and post primary schools that will apply from the start of the 2019/20 school year. Over the course of the school year 2019/20, an additional €10 million will be allocated to primary and post primary schools, of which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The amount spent on the promotion of the teaching profession in the “Teaching Transforms” campaign does not include an amount specifically targeting Irish teachers abroad, through social media, to encourage them to return home. The  campaign is a national campaign using Irish-based media across a number of different platforms including radio, online and social media. It...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Psychological Assessments (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for...

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

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has recently approved interim accommodation at the school in question in order to accommodate the newly established ASD classes for September 2019. The school authority has been advised accordingly.  The allocation of places to the ASD class is a matter for the school authority. The school's application for...

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

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has submitted an application, to my Department, for capital funding under the 'Additional School Accommodation Scheme'. The application is currently under assessment, as soon as this process has been completed my Department will be in direct contact with the school authority.

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

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy 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 prequalification process to select a shortlist of contractors for tender stage is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Budget 2012 increased the appointment and retention ratios for small schools, i.e. schools with four classroom teachers or fewer. Since 2015, measures have been introduced to improve the staffing of these schools which has seen improvements in the appointment and retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and more favourable enrolment thresholds for one...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Provision of nursing support is currently a matter for the HSE. The Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme – A New School Inclusion Model to Deliver the Right Supports at the Right time to Students with Additional Care Needs was published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on 30 May 2018.   The Review contains 13...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Supply (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. 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. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Budget 2017 allowed for the commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an agreed distributed leadership model and meant lifting the longstanding moratorium on these posts with effect from the 2017/18 school year. This recognises the key role school leadership has in promoting a school environment which is welcoming, inclusive and accountable. €2.75m was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (16 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The reference by An Taisce to a meat free day in schools was made in a Climate Action teaching resource produced by An Taisce. It is a matter for individual schools to decide what material they use to support teaching the curriculum in accordance with Circular 42 of 2018 for Primary and Circular 43 of 2018 for Post Primary. The Healthy Eating Guidelines and Food Pyramid are the policy tools...