Results 5,241-5,260 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Retention of Records Bill 2019: Second Stage (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. I appreciate their tone as well. We are all very aware of the sensitivity around this matter. I am also conscious of the legal responsibilities. I have listened to individual contributions tonight, as I want to get this right for the people who have suffered and endured lives that, in many cases, are difficult to imagine. Collectively, the...

Retention of Records Bill 2019: Order for Second Stage (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Retention of Records Bill 2019: Second Stage (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." Tá áthas orm deis a bheith agam labhairt ar an mBille tábhachtach seo. The Bill’s purpose is to ensure the records of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, the Residential Institutions Redress Board and its review committee are not destroyed, but are instead retained for posterity. I will now outline the Bill's key...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The recently published Retention of Records Bill is an important measure that will provide 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. I believe that the retention of these records is essential to ensure that we as a people never forget the abuse that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: SOLAS Staff (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: SOLAS staff who transferred to ETBs retained their existing salary scales on transfer.  Union representatives have submitted a claim under normal industrial relations procedures in respect of certain grades, and this is being examined by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (2 Apr 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: Irish Language (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: An Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscoilíochta (COGG) get their allocation from the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Unit. They are also allocated money under the Policy on Gaeltacht  Education 2017-2022. The allocations and outturn are set out in the table. This is current, COGG have no capital allocation.  COGG - Allocation Year Total Curriculum and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic attainment and means. The eligibility criteria for student grants including the income thresholds is reviewed annually in my Department and approved by the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has received correspondence from the individuals referred to by the Deputy and a reply will issue in due course. I wish to advise that the Summer Works Scheme is designed to allow schools, on a devolved funding basis, to carry out necessary improvement and refurbishment works that will upgrade existing school facilities....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Establishment (2 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-related issues that have arisen with this project were considered at a meeting in January between officials from my Department and LMETB and its design team.  More work needs to be carried out to address these issues and a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme Funding (2 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 schools, with significant medical conditions which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (2 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 concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (2 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: Teaching Council of Ireland (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Teaching Council is the body with statutory responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession including the registration of teachers in Ireland. The Teaching Council's (Registration) Regulations 2016 set out the requirements to be registered as a teacher in Ireland. Under these regulations there are four defined routes to registration, namely Route 1 Primary; Route 2...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Education (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that the position of my Department is that all pupils who are enrolled in a school should attend school for the full day, unless exempted from doing so for exceptional circumstances, such as medical reasons. Reduced timetables should not be used as a behavioural management technique, or as a de facto suspension or expulsion. Where schools apply a shorter school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Education (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department recognises the importance of inclusive education and is supportive of actions that will ensure that the school setting is a more welcoming environment for all, including Travellers. In keeping with this principle, additional resources provided in the education system are allocated on the basis of identified individual educational need.    A key objective of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Education (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Census 2016 revealed there is a significant gap between educational attainment of Travellers and that of the general population.  However, it is encouraging to note that in 2016, 167 Travellers held a third-level qualification, almost double the 2011 figure of 89.  In 2015 when the National Access Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education was published 35 Traveller...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Education (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Information on ethnic or cultural background, including Traveller ethnicity, is collected on the Primary Online Database (POD). As ethnicity is considered special category data under GDPR, it is collected on a consent-based basis. In the 2016 Census of Ireland there were 8,142 members of the Traveller community recorded as being of potential primary school age (between 4 and 13) In the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Anti-Racism Measures (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under Section 38 of the Teaching Council Act, all initial teacher education programmes are subject to review and accreditation by the Teaching Council, for registration purposes. The Teaching Council’s Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers (published in 2011 and revised in March 2017) is an important document that must be observed by all providers of initial teacher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Education (2 Apr 2019)

Joe McHugh: The Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy (TES) was published by my Department in 2006.  The principle of inclusion was at the core of this report. Action Number 11 in the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy (NTRIS) committed to a review of the "Report and Recommendations for the Traveller Education Strategy". This...