Results 6,701-6,720 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Accommodation Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy and acknowledge that this is an issue of concern. When I walk down the corridor and meet Deputies and Senators from north County Dublin, it is the only matter they raise. 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...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Autism Support Services (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I accept the sincerity of the Deputy's contribution on this very important issue. In my early meetings with the officials in this area, I raised the question, even prior to the 3 December change, of compelling schools in cases where there is insufficient supply, a problem with a class or a need for an autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit. My message to officials from day one has been to look...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Investigations (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, over the course of the mid-term break my Department undertook structural assessments on all 42 school buildings constructed by Western Building Systems since 2003, following the identification of significant structural issues at Ardgillan community college in Balbriggan during an assessment undertaken by a structural engineer at the school on 19...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Investigations (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: In regard to statutory powers, we are working with the Office of the Chief State Solicitor on how we can begin a review and what powers it will be given. I will keep the Deputy up to date on that. In regard to the current situation, last week I was in Tyrrelstown along with the Taoiseach. We met representatives from KSNPM who have been working through this. We met with members of the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Investigations (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: We are going to undertake a review immediately. It has to happen quickly. That review will be independent. We are going to look at every aspect, including KSNPM, Turner & Townsend, the contractor and the Department's own clerks of works, which since 2017 have been appointed on every site. Second, it is important to put on record that we have set up an independent unit within...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Homelessness Strategy (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: That is a fair enough suggestion. Anecdotally, I am picking up more examples of the prevalence of child homelessness in feedback from teachers dealing with children in homelessness. It would be a wise and important suggestion to ensure that all the information on whatever supports are available is provided to schools. Reading excerpts from the report of the research carried out by the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Homelessness Strategy (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Tacking educational disadvantage has been one of the positive outcomes of the work of the Department over the past number of years. Currenlty, we are reviewing the delivering equality of opportunity in schools, DEIS, scheme and educational disadvantage. Educational disadvantage changes and evolves and new issues and challenges arise. As part of our review of DEIS, we are using data we are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Autism Support Services (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh:  My Department is aware that the establishment of special class provision in some schools and communities can be challenging. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is responsible, through its network of special needs organisers, SENOs, for the development, delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with special educational needs, including the establishment...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Autism Support Services (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue because we have been grappling with it over the past ten to 15 years. The statistics from 2011 reported 548 special classes. That is now up to nearly 1,459. We are making gains but, at the same time, affording choice to parents has to be at the heart of that provision. I refer to whether they want their children to go to a special school or a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Homelessness Strategy (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: A range of resources are available to support schools in dealing with identified additional educational needs, including needs which may arise for children who are experiencing homelessness. These include National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, supports and Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, supports. Identification of need and early intervention strategies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, with the assistance of officials in Fingal County Council, agreement in principle has been reached with the landowner in respect of the acquisition of a site at Broomfield, Malahide to accommodate Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together NS. The schedule of accommodation and brief in respect of the building project has been finalised and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Contractors (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, over the course of the mid-term break my Department undertook structural assessments on all 42 school buildings constructed by Western Building Systems since 2003 following the identification of significant structural issues at Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan during an assessment undertaken by a structural engineer at the school on 19 October. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The major building project for Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí is currently at Stage 1 of the Architectural Planning Process. A Design Team was appointed to this project in June 2017. Stage 1 is the Preliminary Design Stage where the Design Team analyse all the constraints of the site, develop a preferred design option and cost plan. A Stakeholders meeting was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: In April 2018, my predecessor as Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, announced a major review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. This review, being conducted by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), is currently underway and will cover both the content of the RSE curriculum and support materials, as well...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a building project, which involves the provision of a replacement school building for the school to which he refers, is included in my Department’s 6 Year Construction Programme. This school building project will provide a schedule of accommodation to include 8 classrooms, a general purpose room, library and resource area, woodwork and art room,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: In November 2016 my Department announced improved supports to facilitate the smooth establishment of new primary and post-primary schools from September 2017. The first element of the improved supports involved new schools being permitted to appoint a school principal from an earlier stage in order to better facilitate the preparatory work involved in setting up a new school. The second...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Administration (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, 42 new schools are planned to open over the four years based on nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department.  Included are two new 8 classroom primary schools to serve Swords North and Swords South, both to open in 2019. An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) for these schools will be opened soon. The OPPS has been developed by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Applications (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I am aware that the Deputy raised this matter previously in the House.  Last year my Department introduced an objective, statistics based model for assessing which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage.    ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, over the course of the mid-term break my Department undertook structural assessments on all  42 school buildings constructed by Western Building Systems since 2003 following the identification of significant structural issues at Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan during an assessment undertaken by a structural engineer at the school on 19...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Service Provision (28 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The delivery of high quality internet connectivity for all schools is a key objective of my Department. It is accepted that good connectivity is essential to ensure that schools are facilitated to progress the embedding of digital technologies in teaching and learning and for the implementation of new and revised curriculum. The need to improve broadband connectivity to...