Results 5,561-5,580 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Breaks Standardisation (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: Guidance on the time to be set aside for recreation in schools are already set out in my Department’s Circulars to schools. They provide for a recreation break of 30 minutes with additional provision for morning and afternoon breaks. The arrangements relating to time for recreation and for pupils to eat their lunch is a matter for each Board of Management to determine. These...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Institutes of Technology (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: The development of a new purpose-built higher education campus in Wexford is being progressed by IT Carlow. IT Carlow is a member of the Technological University For South East Ireland (TUSEI) consortium, and it is envisaged that the Wexford campus would form part of the multi-campus TU. My Department has agreed to provide funding for acquisition of a site for the new campus. The focus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 26 and 53 together. In order to build a political consensus regarding a future approach to funding the higher education sector, the then Minister for Education and Skills referred the expert group report on future funding of higher education to the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills for their consideration. The Committee requested that my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Junior Cycle Reform (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: One of the key aims of Junior Cycle Reform was to move from a large number of subjects with heavy curricula examined in a traditional memory based way. After a very detailed consultation process the NCCA recommended a new approach: - limited compulsory subjects around basic literacy and numeracy - 24 statements of learning It is important to say that the 24 statements of learning include...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: Schools are currently required to develop a policy on Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) which should reflect the core values and ethos of the school as outlined in the school’s mission statement. My Department has published policy guidelines to support schools in developing their RSE policy. The guidelines, drafted in consultation with the education partners, provide a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy may be aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). The pre-qualification process for the project has recently been completed by KWETB. While approval has been given for KWETB to proceed to issue tender documents to the short-listed contractors, the Design Team is currently addressing some...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. The school principal is responsible for the day to day management of the school. The appointment and deployment of school staff including teachers and special needs assistants is also the responsibility of the board of management. All schools are required to have policies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school 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. Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB and its Design Team are actively progressing this project with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, the project in respect of the education campus in Buncrana to cater for the schools in question is included in my Department’s capital programme. Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Donegal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable location for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commencement of Legislation (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that a number of sections of the Education for Persons with Special Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 have been commenced. The commenced provisions include those establishing the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and those providing for an inclusive approach to the education of children with special educational needs. The following sections of the EPSEN Act were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware the building project for the school in question is included on my Department's capital programme. The Department of Education has recently contacted officials in Fingal County Council for assistance under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site. Negotiations with relevant landowners in respect of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: The project 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 early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Regulations (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department's Technical Guidance Documents set the benchmark for sustainable design in school buildings with a clear focus on energy efficiency. They are based on solid energy research projects. The Department's policy is supported by a strong research programme with forty eight research projects at various stages, including its joint SEAI partnership energy website project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you. I am advised by the SEC that it is currently undertaking a review of the Scheme of Reasonable Accommodations which is focussing at present on the best...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 39 and 54 together. The major building project for this school is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained. A legal challenge to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: In relation to school admissions, parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available, the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Relocation (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: The project 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 early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design. A legal challenge to the pre-qualification process for the main contract from one unsuccessful contractor has recently been struck out and it is expected that a new invitation to pre-qualify will issue this month on the e-tenders platform. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (6 Mar 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: Student Grant Scheme Administration (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved further or higher education course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The Student Grant Scheme applies to approved higher education courses only in...