Results 5,581-5,600 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

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: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, in April 2018, the Government announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including a new 800 pupil post-primary school (to be established in 2020) to serve the Blanchardstown_West_Dublin15 and BlanchardstownVge_Dublin15 school planning areas as a regional solution. This announcement follows nationwide...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Brexit Issues (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: In January my Department confirmed that any eligible UK resident students who enroll for eligible courses for the 2019/20 academic year in a third level institution recognised for the purposes of free fees will be able to avail of my Department’s Free Fee Schemes, akin to current arrangements. This is in line with similar assurances given in previous years. Maintaining access by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (6 Mar 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 pre-qualification process to select a short-list of contractors for tender stage is currently on-going....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Mar 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 in consultation with the relevant education partners, the Health Service Executive (HSE) where appropriate and Parents. This includes identifying the number of children that will...

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

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's Capital Programme. My Department is currently finalising the project brief with a view to progressing the project into the architectural planning process. The brief is expected to be completed shortly and my Department will be in further contact with the patron, who has agreed...

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

Joe McHugh: The new Junior Cycle has been developed over several years and is now in the process of being implemented, with the final phase of new subject specifications being introduced to schools from September 2019. The new Framework for Junior Cycle gives students the opportunity to develop a wider range of knowledge and skills - to equip them for further learning, for work, for responsible and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards Funding (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not given a specific commitment of funding to Cavan and Monaghan ETB to develop a new second-level school.  I also wish to advise the Deputy that the decision making authority for any amalgamation belongs to the Patron/Trustees of the school, and this is subject to the approval of...

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

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision making authority for any amalgamation belongs to the Patron/Trustees of the school, and this is subject to the approval of my Department. Any proposed change involves extensive negotiations at local level and must be well planned and managed in a manner that accommodates the interests of students, parents, teachers, local communities and...

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

Joe McHugh: Since arriving in the Department I have spoken publicly of how vital it is that our young people learn from the past so that they can plan for the future. At a national, European and international level it has never been more important for people to understand the lessons of history. As we face the very difficult challenges of Brexit while also addressing the many aspects of our War of...

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

Joe McHugh: The NCCA Leaving Certificate Religious Education syllabus is a broad course which seeks to develop the skills needed to engage in meaningful dialogue with those of other or of no religious traditions. It is concerned with promoting personal growth and facilitating the spiritual development of students. Religious education is well placed to provide students with opportunities for reflection...

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

Joe McHugh: A building project for the new primary school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s current 6 year construction programme. My Department has identified a requirement to secure a permanent site for the school to which he refers and also for an existing special school and the Department’s preference is to seek a campus arrangement to accommodate both...

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

Joe McHugh: The Major Project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at Stage 1 of architectural planning which entails preliminary design of site and location suitability and initial sketch scheme. A revised Stage 1 submission, including an up-to-date cost plan, was requested from the Design Team following an increase in the schedule of accommodation to cater for up to 1200 pupils. That...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (6 Mar 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 teacher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: In order to qualify for grant support under my Department’s Student Grant Scheme, and funding toward tuition fees under the Free Fees Initiative, a student has to meet certain criteria such as means (in the case of a grant), residency, nationality and progression. The eligibility criteria for student grants, including the nationality criteria is reviewed annually in my Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Mar 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: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department's Capital Programme continues to address the challenges nationally posed by the significant bulge in pupil enrolments going through our schools. This has seen a significant expansion in the rate of provision of new school places. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed through the architectural planning process, including those schools in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Meetings (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: The policy of the Department of Education and Skills is not to promote or endorse any specific organisation, product or publication, schools are free to choose the resources that they feel are most suitable to assist their delivery of the curriculum. In terms of meeting with an individual or organisation, it is the practice that a request would be made through the Minister’s office...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (6 Mar 2019)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that all schools are encouraged to plan effectively for the delivery of additional teaching or care supports for children with special educational needs, including for children with Down syndrome. Effective planning ensures that the school’s resources are deployed efficiently and that they achieve the desired outcomes.  Under the Education Act...

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

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 97 together. While neither the genitive and dative cases nor genitive and accusative prepositions are directly targeted for assessment in the Junior Certificate Examination the integrated nature of the German language requires a receptive knowledge of same. The examination is divided into three sections: for the first two sections i.e. the Listening...