Results 5,661-5,680 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (28 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together. Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The assessment of means under the Student Grant Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (28 Feb 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, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: No Education projects will be delayed as a result of the Department's contribution to the National Children's Hospital. The Department of Education and Skills has agreed to pay, in 2019, €10m of an existing €17m commitment to higher education facilities in the National Children's Hospital. This funding will come from within the existing overall amount allocated to the higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (28 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The policy of my Department is to ensure that all children with special educational needs can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in...

Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Ar dtús, ba mhaith liom mo aitheantas a ghabháil chuig mo chomhghleacaithe sa Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna fáchoinne an díograis agus an obair ar son an reachtaíocht seo, agus chuig Oifig an Ard-Aighne fosta agus an foireann uilig in Oifig na nDréachtóirí Parlaiminte don Rialtas. Táim tiománta chuig an chaidreamh idir an Bhreatain...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (27 Feb 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, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme Eligibility (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 73 and 81 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is designed to allow schools, on a devolved funding basis, to carry out necessary improvement and refurbishment works that will upgrade existing school facilities including play areas. It is open to school authorities to apply under the next Summer Works Scheme which will open...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Having relatively high minimum entry requirements in core subject areas of Irish, English and Mathematics is one of the key policy levers that help ensure quality teaching and learning in primary schools. In October 2017, changes were announced setting higher minimum entry standards to primary programmes of initial teacher education for Leaving Certificate Maths, English and Irish. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Fees (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The immigration regime which applies to non-EEA students seeking to have their children accompany them during their study period in Ireland is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. I can confirm that this Department does not administer an immigration levy for non-EEA students attending state schools.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is in the process of being devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB). The first step in this process is the execution of a Service Level Agreement between my Department and the ETB and this is being arranged. Thereafter, the ETB will procure a design team for the project to design the buildings,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Minor Works Scheme Eligibility (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: It is open to primary schools to use their minor works grants to install energy efficient lights in their schools if they so wish. The capitation grant at both primary and post-primary level, which is for the general running costs of schools, may also be used for this purpose. My Department is currently engaged with the SEAI on the delivery of a National Energy Efficiency Upgrade Pilot...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (27 Feb 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, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department is aware that a play school is operating in temporary accommodation in one of the schools referred to by the Deputy. This appears to be an initiative of that school and my Department is not party to this arrangement. As the site and prefabricated buildings currently in use by the schools are rented, my Department will be terminating both leases as soon as the schools in question...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: Management bodies and schools have, in recent years, reported difficulties in recruiting teachers. At primary level this relates mainly to the recruitment of substitute teachers and at post-primary level to the recruitment of teachers of certain subjects. In response to these difficulties, the Teacher Supply Steering Group, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department, was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Recruitment (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: The recruitment and appointment of Special Needs Assistants is a matter for the individual school authority. Department's Circulars 34/ 2018 and 21/2011 and Appendix H of the Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2015-2019 sets out the current minimum educational requirements for appointment as a Special Needs Assistant (SNA). People appointed to SNA posts are required to have: 1. A FETAC...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department provides an extensive range of supports for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD). This includes provision for the establishment of special classes for pupils with SSLD in primary schools. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Meetings (27 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: My predecessor Mr. Richard Bruton TD, met with the Chairperson of the State Examinations Commission (SEC), Mr. Pat Burke, and the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Aidan Farrell, on 14th August 2018 when the SEC presented information on the 2018 Leaving Certificate results. Shortly after my appointment as Minister for Education and Skills, I met with the CEO of the SEC. I also separately met with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Tax Code (26 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: My Department issues salary and pension payments to approximately 120,000 payees a fortnight on four payrolls: primary teachers, post primary teachers, non-teaching staff and retired teachers, spouses and children. The Revenue Commissioners have introduced real time PAYE (PAYE modernisation) which went live on the 1stJanuary 2019. This was the biggest change to the PAYE system since...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Feb 2019)

Joe McHugh: To assist, schools, Deputies and the general public, my Department publishes on its website monthly updates on all major projects included on the Department’s Capital Programme 2016 -2021 including the type and extent of each project. Similar details are also published in respect of all approved additional accommodation projects and this list is updated on a weekly basis. There...