Results 21-40 of 16,773 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (29 May 2024)

Norma Foley: As Minister for Education I believe it is crucially important that all children and young people are actively supported to access education in its fullest forms. Since June 2020, and over the past four Budgets, I have secured funding to support measures aimed at achieving that goal. One of the most important policies in this regard has been the establishment of Ireland’s first...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (29 May 2024)

Norma Foley: 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 arrangements for the 2024/25 school year are set out in Circular 0011/2024. The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (29 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the state 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: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils traveling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (29 May 2024)

Norma Foley: For school planning purposes the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (29 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The major project for St Mologa's SNS has recently completed Stage 2(b) of the architectural design process. Stage 2(b) involves securing all statutory approvals, detailed design and the preparation of tender documentation. The next stage, subject to relevant Stage 2(b) approvals, will be Stage 3, tender stage. Projects are subject to relevant due diligence by the Department at each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (29 May 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy has been advised the policy on patronage divesting is to use existing educational infrastructure to facilitate provision of diversity in areas where there is no demographic imperative to establish new schools. As part of the process of identifying a suitable accommodation solution which would facilitate the establishment of the school, my Department liaised with Cork...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: Absolutely. I know that the Deputy has a particular interest in special education and has engaged with me a number of times on it. We are deeply committed in this area, and while we were coming from a low base, it is an achievement to say we now have 3,000 special classes in the scheme and we can see that, for example, of the new special classes that are in place, 11 are in County Louth....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the case the Deputy is making, and he makes it well. I also acknowledge the case being made by the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and Senator Blaney. I have met the board and the principal and acknowledge the great work they do there every single day. I also say that it was only at the end of February that the Department received acknowledgement of availability of the site, and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge the Department has been cognisant of the needs of the school. It is for that reason that the school received approval for two mainstream classrooms and two special education teaching rooms. That is currently at tender stage. The Department has recognised the challenges the school has faced. That was in addition to a further ASA scheme in 2022 for modular accommodation to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I actually do have a reply.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I will tell the Deputy all that is available to me at present, but I will say that I will engage with him again if there is something missing. I will ask for a further update. The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school building projects under the additional school accommodation scheme. The project will provide a two-class special...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I do not have it. What is it about? Question No. 30 is not listed.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: That question was not flagged with me but I will take the details from the Deputy and ensure we revert to him.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: Without knowing the details, I cannot comment because I am not apprised of it. The Department works collaboratively with schools, particularly those benefiting, as the Deputy outlined, from a refurbishment or additional accommodation, whatever the case may be. We have a policy of engagement, co-operation and collaboration. I am confident the project the Deputy outlined is a significant...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I will have to speak more slowly.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: There are currently 161,000 young people transported every day via Bus Éireann. It is an enormous number and an important service. I have said previously in reply to other queries that planning for the 2024-25 school year begins in the previous year. It is well under way at this point. Applications for places on the buses opened in April and I think the closing date is around 7 June...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I do not underestimate the challenge it has posed for parents. Of the more than 161,000 young people transported, the vast majority were transported seamlessly and positively and it worked as it was supposed to. There were isolated instances here and there. I do not underestimate the difficulty that caused for parents and guardians, especially the last-minute nature. It is far from ideal....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The school in question has received approval in principle for a building project under my Department’s additional school accommodation, ASA, scheme. The project will provide for two mainstream classrooms and two special education teaching rooms. This project is currently at stage 3, which is tender stage. The project is one of close to 90 projects with a total value of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I will be repeating myself now. The school transport scheme is operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education, as we said. We have more than 161,600 young people availing of it. That figure is divided into children travelling on mainstream services and children with special educational needs who are travelling. The total cost of the scheme was in excess of...