Results 1,741-1,760 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159, 226, 240, 251, 253, 257, 268, 274, 282, 284, 298, 304, 311, 315, 328, 330, 355, 364 and 391 together. Where a student is studying one or more subjects outside of a recognised school, my Department will be flexible in accepting estimated marks and rankings from other schools or colleges, and will look at this issue on a case-by-case basis. In general,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together. As part of planning for the State examinations, I established an advisory group of stakeholders, including representatives of students, parents, teachers, the management and leadership of schools, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the State Examinations Commission, and officials of my Department, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: As I announced on Friday 8th May, a decision has been made to postpone the Leaving Certificate and to offer students a system of calculated grades. These calculated grades will form the basis of admission to further and higher education in the same way that Leaving Certificate grades are used. Students’ calculated grades will be transferred directly to the CAO, in the same way that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 186 together. As I announced on May 8th, the Leaving Certificate 2020 examinations have been postponed. Students will now be offered the option of availing of a Leaving Certificate based on calculated grades. They will also have the opportunity to sit the exams at a later date when it is safe to do so.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (20 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: Special Educational Needs (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that I recently announced the postponement of the 2020 Leaving Certificate examinations. Revised arrangements are being put in place to offer students the option of Calculated Grades for the 2020 Leaving Certificate but also to guarantee them the right to sit the examinations at a later stage when it is safe to hold them in the normal way.  Engagement is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: Under the statutory framework provided in the Technological Universities Act 2018, two or more Institutes of Technology (IoTs) may jointly seek TU designation through a prescribed legislative process. Section 29 of the 2018 Act provides for the application jointly by two or more applicant institutes to the Minister of Education and Skills for an order seeking designation as a TU subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 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: Student Accommodation (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department is working with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. I understand based on the information available to me that the majority of students in university-owned accommodation will receive pro-rata refunds if they have vacated their accommodation.  I have called on the University of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together. I am aware of the University of Limerick's intention to offer twin rooms as part of their on-campus accommodation. Based on the information available to me, I understand that this decision was made in order to increase the supply of accommodation available to students. Universities are autonomous bodies under the meaning of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Department of Education and Skills does not hold the information requested by the Deputy. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs including admissions procedures. The CAO process applications on behalf of the HEIs and information on these applications is held by the CAO, not by the Department. According to figures...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation Provision (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The Deputy will be aware that the project to which he refers has been devolved to the school authority for delivery under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. I can inform him in that context that my Department is awaiting the submission of a Stage 2a report which is the next step in the progression of this project. Following examination of this report when received, a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.  The online application process for student grant applications for the 2020/21 academic year is due to open on 23rd April, 2020. Further information in relation to student grant assistance is available from SUSI’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 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: Special Educational Needs Staff (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 007/2019 for primary schools and 008/2019 for post primary schools set out the details of the model for allocating special education teachers to schools. The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: The building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. My Department submitted an application for planning permission to the Local Authority on 26th September 2019. A Request for Further Information was received on 20th November 2019....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (20 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: Schools Building Projects Status (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: My Department will be seeking applications from patron bodies for patronage of the post-primary schools to be established in 2021 during the summer. Having regard to the Roadmap for easing Covid-19 restrictions, it is intended to conduct the online parental preferences element of the patronage process for these schools in September, when schools are planned to reopen. All activity by patron...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has been working closely with the school Patrons in Ballincollig, County Cork.  On this basis, I can advise that there is adequate permanent provision to cater for students seeking to enrol in second-level schools, in the area, for the 2020-21 school year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (20 May 2020)

Joe McHugh: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes. Allowing access to campuses is therefore a matter for each institution to decide. Students should contact their HEI directly in relation to requests to retrieve course work from the campus.