Results 6,821-6,840 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: My Department's July Provision Grant Scheme provides funding for an extended school year for children with severe/profound general learning disabilities or children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The scheme was developed to reduce potential regression in learning associated with these specific categories of special education needs over the summer holidays. Under the scheme, the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments Data (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 260 and 261 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold the specific information to which he refers. More detailed information relating to enrolment levels in all primary and post-primary schools nationwide is available on the Department's website at the following link: . In order to plan for school provision and analyse the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers, for the development and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special class and special school placements. Since 2011, the NCSE has increased the number of special classes from 548 in 2011 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The issue referred to by the Deputy relates to a Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE). The position is that post primary PGCE is awarded on an unclassified pass/fail basis and the associated allowance is paid at pass Higher Diploma level. In order for the allowance to be upgraded to honours Higher Diploma level the teacher concerned must present her employer with a letter from the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (27 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 the Western Building Systems since 2003 which were part of the Department's Design and Build school building programme. The safety of school students and staff has been and will continue to be my Department's overriding priority. The two...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (27 Nov 2018)

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 (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's 6-Year Construction Programme. In the context of progressing the building project, my Department undertook a technical site visit to the school. Following the site visit, my Department is now considering how the school's accommodation needs will be met. When this process has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2b – Detailed Design. This project was authorised to commence the Pre-Qualification of Contractors in May 2018. My Department has been informed that the Design Team Leader published the contract notice inviting contractors to tender for Pre-Qualification on e-tenders on 2 August 2018 with a closing date for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design which includes the application for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The outcome of the pre-qualification process has been notified to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to the local Education and Training Board. The pre-qualification process for the project is currently being finalised. My Department expects the project to proceed to tender immediately following the completion of this process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Engagement with the vendor is still ongoing in respect of outstanding clarifications regarding the proposed school site acquisition. Progress is being made on aspects of the proposed sale. However the appointment of a design team cannot be progressed at this juncture. I can assure you that officials in my Department are working to do so as soon as is possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (27 Nov 2018)

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: Residential Institutions Data (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: In accordance with the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) managed the application and selection process for appointments to the Board of Caranua. The notice seeking expressions of interest appeared on the PAS website on 27th August 2018 with a closing date of 24th September 2018. PAS convened an Assessment Panel to examine the applications...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The composition of the Board of Caranua is set out in Section 11 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. It specifies that four of the members will be persons, who before they attained the age of 18 years, resided in an institution specified in the Schedule to the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002. Members of the Board are expected to play key roles in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Review (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is currently advancing building projects in a number of post-primary schools in the South Kildare school planning areas and these projects, when completed, will provide additional capacity in the region of 1,700 school places. The Government recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019-2022). In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: There are no payments recorded on my Department's Financial Management System in respect of the individual and/or company identified by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: Below is a table of curriculum subjects, areas and programmes that have reviews conducted and completed since 2011 in line with work plans agreed between NCCA and the DES. Date of review completion Curriculum review areas and subjects Nov. 2018 Junior Cycle subject specifications in Religious Education, Jewish Studies and Graphics Junior Cycle short course in Enterprise in Animation (Level...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Nov 2018)

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 (ETB). The ETB's Design Team has tendered for a main contractor for the project and the Tender Report in that regard is currently being examined in my Department. The direct tendering process for reserved specialists is also underway. Prior to the award of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Status (27 Nov 2018)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the schools in question is included in my Department's 6 year Construction Programme. The school authority has provided my Department with a copy of a letter it received from the local authority. My Department will consider the matter further and will liaise directly with the school authority in this regard.