Results 1,641-1,660 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

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

Joe McHugh: My Department is aware of concerns that the closure of schools has impacted hardest upon families who have children with complex needs whose wellbeing and engagement with learning depend very much on the routine of school and their relationships with other students, teachers and Special Needs Assistants. They have also lost out on specialist supports during this closure period. My...

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

Joe McHugh: The Department of Education and Skills can confirm that it has engaged with the organisers of the BT Young Scientist and Technologist Exhibition around the 2021 event. The organisers of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition have confirmed to the Department that they are currently monitoring timelines around schools re-opening across the country and the Government’s...

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

Joe McHugh: My Department is aware of concerns that the closure of schools has impacted hardest upon families who have children with complex needs whose wellbeing and engagement with learning depend very much on the routine of school and their relationships with other students, teachers and Special Needs Assistants. They have also lost out on specialist supports during this closure period. My...

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

Joe McHugh: My Department is aware of concerns that the closure of schools has impacted hardest upon families who have children with complex needs whose wellbeing and engagement with learning depend very much on the routine of school and their relationships with other students, teachers and Special Needs Assistants. They have also lost out on specialist supports during this closure period. My...

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

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 to 197, inclusive, together. The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for Government. Currently, almost 20% of the total Education Vote or €1.9bn is invested in supporting children with special needs. As a result the numbers of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and...

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

Joe McHugh: The salary of a Principal teacher is determined by the teacher’s years of service, qualifications in the case of a teacher first recruited prior to 2011, the size of the school and the sector where appointed. The teacher’s basic salary scale at both Primary and Post Primary levels range from €35,088 to €64,302 for teachers appointed prior to 2011 and from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been providing a range of online resources for parents and teachers to support home learning for children with special educational needs during the Covid 19 restrictions. Supports provided include those relating to general learning and difficulties for pupils with special educational needs, Curriculum support, speech language and...

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

Joe McHugh: We understand that this is a time of uncertainty for students hoping to progress to higher education and work is ongoing in ensuring that the third level entry process can progress as smoothly and equitably as possible. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects Applications (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, for additional accommodation, including provision of a new sports hall, from the school referred to by the Deputy. Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the...

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

Joe McHugh: Ensuring that every child has a suitable school placement is a key objective of my Department. Significant resources are allocated each year to ensure that appropriate supports are available for children with special educational needs. Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased almost threefold, from 548 to 1,618 for the 2019/2020 school year; with 1,353 of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department is aware of the products referred to by the Deputy. That schools can operate in a safe manner that is consistent with public health advice will underpin any consideration of the matter. This must be balanced against overall resource constraints and other competing demands in the education sector, whilst also ensuring that solutions will not place an undue burden of ongoing...

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 Department has received correspondence recently from the school and will be...

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 Department has received correspondence recently from the school and will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (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 advice of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and the Department of Health. Engagement is underway with stakeholders in the education sector to develop contingency plans for the re-opening and operation of schools, including schools for children with...

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

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 209, 210, 212 and 215 together. Consultation with all of those involved – students, teachers, school managers and others – has been central to my decision making about Leaving Certificate 2020. As part of planning for the State examinations, I established an advisory group of stakeholders, including representatives of students, parents,...

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

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 223 together. The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for Government. Currently, almost 20% of the total Education Vote or €1.9bn is invested in supporting children with special needs. As a result the numbers of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places...

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

Joe McHugh: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that when a school building becomes vacant as a result of closure/amalgamation/replacement, the future use of the old building is in the first instance a matter for the property owner. When the property owner applies to the Minister for permission to either use the property for community purposes or to sell it, my Department makes an assessment as to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The permanent project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department's Design & Build Programme. It is anticipated that the project will proceed to tender later this year. My Department has informed the school and its patron body that it will be working to have the first phase of the school's permanent accommodation handed over for occupation as...

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

Joe McHugh: As the Deputy is aware, included in the Government announcement in April 2018 for plans to the establish 42 new schools over the four years from 2019 to 2022 was a new post-primary school to be established in 2020 to serve the Blanchardstown_West_D15 and BlanchardstownVge_D15 school planning areas as a regional solution. The patronage process for this new school is complete and patronage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (27 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Teaching Council has informed me that due to the current Covid-19 emergency, its offices are closed to the public and its staff are working remotely. During the initial stages of the lockdown new applications for registrations were suspended as they could not be processed remotely. I am advised that with effect from the 5th of May, on a limited basis and in keeping with public health...