Results 5,141-5,160 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (11 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for planning, coordinating and advising on education provision for children with special educational needs. The Council ensures that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements. The NCSE’s team of locally based Special Education Needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: University Status Applications (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The process for the establishment of additional universities is provided for in Section 9 of the Universities Act 1997. There are currently 8 universities in the State, the most recent being the establishment of Technological University Dublin under the Technological Universities Act 2018 on 1 January 2019.  The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 states that there is no case...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I met with the Group in question on the 13th of February and we had a very constructive and informative meeting and I would like to thank the Group for the information they presented to me at the meeting.  As the Deputy will be aware, in November 2016, I announced the patronage of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme Funding (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm that the Department has received an application from the school referred to by the Deputy for the provision of additional accommodation. This application is currently under assessment. The school has also applied for funding under the Emergency Works scheme. Its applications in this respect have been refused as being outside the terms of the Scheme. However, I can...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 to 81, inclusive, together. The Deputy has raised a number of questions on the consultation undertaken by representatives of the Dublin Archdiocese with schools under Catholic patronage in the Malahide/Portmarnock area of Dublin. I will address these, prior to outlining the Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process. My Department understands that a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 83 together. The Retention of Records Bill 2019, currently before Dáil Éireann, provides for the retention of the records of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, the Residential Institutions Redress Board and the Residential Institutions Redress Review Committee.  Under the legislation establishing these bodies the bulk of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a project for the schools to which he refers is included in my Department's building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP) 6-Year Construction Programme. In the context of progressing the building project, my Department intends undertaking a technical site visit to the schools in question. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Placement (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service Staff (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools nationally. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (10 Apr 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 Patronage (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department has reviewed the correspondence received from the Deputy in this regard.  I welcome that parents are coming together to explore how greater choice can be provided for parents of primary school children in this area.  Separately to the main Schools Reconfiguration process, the ‘early movers’ provision of the process...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Financial literacy is explored through a number of curricular subjects across post primary education. Junior Cycle More generally, statement of Learning 14 in the Framework for Junior Cycle ()states that the student: Makes informed financial decisions and develops good consumer skills Junior Cycle Mathematics The revised Junior Cycle syllabus exposes the students to a range of topics...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question submitted an application for major capital funding to my Department to construct a new school building. Given the need to meet demographic growth, projects identified in my Department’s capital programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP) will remain the focus of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Officials from my Department have recently been in contact with the school authorities in relation to the proposed building project. In this regard, my Department is currently finalising the project brief with the aim of progressing the project into the architectural planning process. My Department will be in direct contact with the school when this process has been finalised.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 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 operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (10 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: In accordance with the provisions of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012, cash contributions offered voluntarily by religious congregations in the aftermath of the publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (the "Ryan Report") are available to meet costs incurred by Caranua (the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund) in supporting...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation Provision (9 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: This is broken down into two issues. I again thank the Deputies for raising the matter. The demographics are evolving and there are young families in the area. We have to be vigilant about the changed demographics and the increased number of residential developments. That is at what my officials look. They also look at long-term issues, including where planning permission is sought. ...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation Provision (9 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Gabhaim buíochas fa choinne na ceiste tábhachtaí seo inniu agus as na sonraí a tugadh fosta. I am appreciative of the information and conscious of the fact that there has been a reaching out to see how we can help and work with each other. I also acknowledge my colleague, Deputy Fitzgerald, for her work in keeping me informed on this matter also. The question gives me...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (9 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir fá choinne na ceiste seo. Tuigim na buntáistí agus na míbhuntáistí a ghabhann leis an ardú daonra sa cheantar agus tuigim na fadhbanna maidir leis na seomraí sealadacha. Tá sé soiléir go bhfuil tionchar suntasach ag an fhadhb sin ar an scoil. I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (9 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Once the tender process is completed with the announcement tomorrow, it will be a matter of two or three months to ensure the project manager is appointed. This is part of a national plan and not specific to one school so I do not want to tie myself in a knot over the timeframe because it is a new scheme. My message to my officials when I meet them on this, and I have met them a number of...