Results 1,601-1,620 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 May 2020)

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.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has provided a range of support and guidance for schools on how to provide for the continuing education for pupils over the current school closure period. Supports are provided to schools and teachers engaged in distance learning and these are available at In additional to the general guidance that has been provided for schools, additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Closures (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: A key priority for my Department is to minimise the impact of school closures on the educational attainment of young persons due to the Covid 19 crisis. We are currently undertaking a number of actions to ensure this. Guidance has already issued to primary and post-primary schools to help ensure the continuity of teaching and learning, to support those with Special Educational Needs,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Websites (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department has published Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) in regard to the Leaving Certificate 2020, including calculated grades, on its website. The FAQ are updated regularly. There is also a detailed guide to calculated grades for Leaving Certificate 2020 for schools and students on my Department’s website.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 279 together. The National Co-ordination group for tertiary education is meeting on a regular basis, and is closely monitoring the impact that Covid-19 is having on third level institutions and their current and prospective students. Work is ongoing to ensure that the third level entry process can progress as smoothly and equitably as possible. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: Following my announcement on Friday 8th May regarding the calculated grade optional model for the Leaving Certificate, LCVP and Leaving Certificate Applied examinations, an Executive Office has been established within my Department to deliver the calculated grades model in 2020. This requires the temporary secondment of a small number of staff from the SEC to that office to achieve this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: On the 1 May 2020, the Taoiseach announced as part of the "Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business" that schools will commence opening on a phased basis at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year. My Department is engaging and working with the education partners and relevant stakeholders on planning arrangements for the re-opening of schools in accordance with the timeframe...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Minister announced on 1stApril a contingency plan for all Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to be available for a new temporary assignment scheme as part of the Government’s response to Covid-19. In the normal course of events, the majority of children with disabilities access multidisciplinary therapy services through the HSE. Many of these services have been scaled down during the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The HPAT is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the universities’ medical schools and the RCSI. The selection criteria and process for admission to medical schools is a matter for those institutions in line with their statutory autonomy in relation to academic affairs. Neither I nor my Department has a function in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: College is a leading learning platform funded by SOLAS that provides a range of high quality interactive online learning and training courses in business, project management, information technology, graphic design, web design, digital marketing, software development and basic computer literacy. eCollege courses are temporarily being made available free of charge as an additional support to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together. Due to the recommendations of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) officials at my Department are in the main working from home remotely. In advance of the pandemic restriction measures officials at the HR Unit of my Department engaged with the management of the various line sections within my Department in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: PISA aims to measure how well students, at age, 15, are prepared to meet the challenges they may encounter in future life, including education. In PISA 2018, 5,577 Irish students completed the assessment in Ireland. In addition to the 3 the tests of reading literacy, mathematics and science, questionnaires administered in Ireland included: - the core student questionnaire -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: Since the announcement that schools would close and the extension of that closure, my Department has provided guidance to schools and teachers in the education sector to ensure that they continue to work and to engage with their students to continue the delivery of education. A series of guidance notes to support schools to effectively support and engage with their students are published on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: On the 1 May 2020, the Taoiseach announced as part of the "Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business" that schools will commence opening on a phased basis at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year. My Department is engaging and working with the education partners and relevant stakeholders on planning arrangements for the re-opening of schools in accordance with the timeframe...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that decisions in relation to schools re-opening and operating will be underpinned by the ongoing public health advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and the Department of Health. On the 1 May 2020, the Taoiseach announced as part of the "Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business" that schools will commence opening on a phased basis at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: A key priority for my Department is to minimise the impact of school closures on the educational development of young persons due to the Covid 19 crisis, and we are currently undertaking a number of actions to ensure this. Guidance has already issued to schools to help ensure the continuity of teaching and learning, to support those with Special Educational Needs, those in areas of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: A planning application for the school to which the Deputy refers was lodged with the relevant local authority on 2 April 2020 and a decision is awaited. The tendering process for the procurement of prefabricated accommodation for the project is currently ongoing. It is envisaged that the school will open in suitable interim accommodation for the 2020/2021 academic year and that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: Since the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak, significant work has been undertaken by a stakeholder group chaired by the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and including the representative bodies of education providers to address issues relating to the maintenance of the quality and standards of teaching and learning, assessment and qualifications. This group has focused on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the school under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. I wish to clarify for the Deputy that my Department received a Stage 2b report from the school in question. My Department has sought clarification on the costings set out in that report and awaits the school's response to same.