Questions asked 35 total

• Education 29 questions

  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the statistical methods which will be used for the standardisation of results submitted by schools in the context of the calculation of grades within the leaving certificate; and the relevant mathematical equations. [14644/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who applied for calculated grades; and the number who have applied for same who will not receive a calculated grade for that subject. [14645/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the approach she plans to take to ensure that those in fifth year in the 2019-20 academic year are not disadvantaged by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; and the adjustments that will be made in terms of the exam or courses and various other matters to compensate for same. [14646/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that will be taken to ensure ongoing education of students or teachers and teaching staff in the event of a person being immunocompromised and unable to attend school buildings in the normal way or in the instance of students, teachers or teacher staff displaying symptoms. [14647/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if steps are being taken to ensure standardisation and the establishment of best practice models for remote learning in the event of a further outbreak of Covid-19; and the additional investment in technology and online access in such an event. [14648/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the roadmap for a full return to education will be published (details supplied). [14649/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if all additional hygiene costs including refuse costs incurred by schools will be carried by her Department and not incurred by the school or passed on to parents. [14650/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reduction in the number of international students expected to attend third level institutions here in the 2020-21 academic year than in the previous academic year. [14651/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated number of students who will defer a course in third level institutions in the 2020-21 academic year compared to the previous academic year. [14652/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is considering expanding SUSI to take into consideration the fact that it has not been increased in recent years and in view of the uncertain employment situations of many workers at this point. [14653/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if further consideration has been given to or the status of a financial package for the third-level institutions; and if so, if it will include increased SUSI, HEAR, DARE and Access funding to ensure expansion of access to third-level education. [14654/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which adequate space will be ensured in the CAO process for the 2021-22 academic year, in view of the fact that there may be an increase in deferred applications and an increase in international places, to ensure that those studying the leaving certificate in 2020-21 will have adequate access. [14655/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether there will be additional places available in third level places through the CAO process in 2020; and if so, the number. [14656/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the fact that an organisation (details supplied) provides chainsaw and arboricultural qualifications to a much higher standard than that which is available here at present yet are not recognised here; her further views on the UK-based qualifications recognised here that fall under the jurisdiction of UK courts and may not align to the European qualifications framework after Brexit; and her views on the speedy approval and recognition of the qualifications here in line with the co-operation agreement between Quality and Qualifications Ireland and the Education Bureau of Hong Kong. [15212/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if statistics on the ethnic background of children accessing Youthreach programmes are available and if so, if they will be provided by ethnicity. [15359/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the timing for the sitting of the leaving certificate 2020; if it will be completed in time for college intake in September and October 2020; if not, if these students will be categorised as deferred entrants for the 2021 college intake; and if so, if they will have more than one choice available to them on the CAO system. [15379/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the amount that will be required in additional funding for schools to cover issues related to Covid-19 hygiene by category of expenditure, item and sector; and the basis of the €25 million quoted in media accounts from Departmental sources. [15648/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be provided for additional full-time cleaning staff in schools that currently have none; and the typical cost to schools for a full-time cleaner. [15649/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the budget for school substitutes by 5%, 10%, 20% and 25%, respectively. [15650/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the budget for release days for teaching principals by 5%, 10% and 20%; and if she will consider investing in additional leadership positions within schools to facilitate principals in prioritising ensuring that schools are Covid-19 safe. [15651/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered that the cost of delivering school transport to eligible children will increase considerably due to Covid-19 restrictions; the increased cost expected to ensure a place for the same number of children as 2019. [15652/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills whether additional funding for Covid-19-related school costs will cover all costs, including refuse and partitions. [15653/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the annual budget for information technology equipment for primary and secondary schools; the number of devices purchased from this per annum by category; and the estimated cost of increasing same by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%, respectively. [15654/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost per annum to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in primary and post-primary schools by one point and five points, respectively. [15731/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether it will be necessary to reduce class sizes in order to facilitate the distancing required for a return to school; the estimated number of additional teaching staff required to facilitate distancing; and the estimated increased cost for same. [15732/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of hiring ten additional home-school community liaison teachers. [15850/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of ensuring there is one home-school community liaison teacher for each school currently without such a teacher; and the estimated cost of providing one such teacher for every three and five schools, respectively. [15851/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether there will be a need for home-school community liaison teachers due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. [15852/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post-primary schools that have access to adequate hot water; the estimated cost to ensure that every school has hot water; and if all schools will have access to hot water in view of the current pandemic. [16000/20]
• Health 2 questions

  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health the home help waiting lists in the various community health organisations by CHO area. [14657/20]
  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to plans to restore or increase respite hours in the Cork area for families of children with special needs that had been reduced or paused during the Covid-19 pandemic, with particular reference, but not exclusively, to the respite services at Garretstown. [16030/20]
• Housing 1 question

  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the financial challenges of Cork City and County councils; and if he is considering direct financial support in view of the loss of key income streams. [14658/20]
• Foreign 1 question

  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has expressed to the Chinese Government his concern regarding the situation in Hong Kong, the new national security law and its implications for human rights; and if he has expressed his concern with the Chinese Government at the treatment of the Uighur minority in China and human rights breaches against them. [15358/20]
• Children 1 question

  • 2020-07-14 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if statistics on the ethnicity of students expelled and suspended from all schools is available; and his views on his Department recording such statistics to ensure that potential biases can be adequately monitored. [15359/20]
• Business 1 question

  • 2020-07-15 Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the legal protections to ensure that companies based primarily abroad do not engage in tactical liquidations of entities here in order to prevent employees receiving their full entitlements; his views on whether this is applicable in the case of a company (details supplied); and if further actions to protect such workers either via legislation or otherwise are being explored. [16171/20]