Results 141-160 of 16,773 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The first phase of the Schools Photovoltaic (PV) Programme launched in November 2023 to over 1600 schools. It will provide eligible schools with 6 kWp of roof-mounted solar PV, which equates to approximately 16 solar panels. The scheme will be funded from the Government’s Climate Action Fund, in line with the Government’s recognition that taking action on climate change is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (28 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 are being transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. This figure includes over 135,000 children on mainstream services, 19,800 on children with special educational needs,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (28 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 travelling 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 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: In Budget 2024 over €47 million was allocated to continue implementation of the schoolbooks scheme at primary level. On the 8th May I announced details of year 2 of the Primary Schoolbooks Scheme which provides at a minimum free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks to pupils in recognised primary and special schools. More than 563,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning Stage 3 - Tender Action and Award. The authorisation to issue the Letter of Intent for the Completion Works contract issued in April 2024, as per procurement rules, there is a standstill period, following which, should the completion works contractor accept, a Letter of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department. As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for my Department. My Department is aware of pressures for primary and post primary school places for the 2024/25 school year in North Kildare. As part of planning for September 2024,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department. While there can be enrolment pressures in some areas, it is important to note sometimes this may not be as a result of lack of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department. My Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in Prosperous_Clane School Planning Area. As part of planning for September 2024, data...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide a 16 classroom primary school with a 2 classroom SEN base. The project has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a bundled school building programme. The school will be delivered as part of a campus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government. Budget 2024 reflects this Government’s commitment to ongoing investment in the education system through various measures: Introduction of a professional master’s of education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (28 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that an official from my the Payroll Division of my Department has reviewed the overpayment referred to in this case. The review has found that the circumstances and value of the overpayment is correct. The person referred was notified in November 2020 of the value of the overpayment but no repayment plan agreement was put in place at the time. As in line...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (23 May 2024)

Norma Foley: In March I announced details of the new Junior Cycle free Schoolbooks Scheme, which provides, at a minimum, free schoolbooks and core classroom resources to Junior Cycle students enrolled in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. More than 213,000 students enrolled in approximately 670 post-primary schools and over 65 special schools, will benefit from this new measure from the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (23 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department. My Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in Maynooth. As part of planning for September 2024, schools have been requested to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 May 2024)

Norma Foley: Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €4.5 billion in our schools throughout the country. Around 800 school building projects have been completed and 300 other projects are under construction. School building projects under construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. This is a record level of investment and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (23 May 2024)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an admissions policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. Under the provisions of the Act, school admission policies are approved by the Patron, following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (23 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for my Department. As the Deputy may be aware, while there can be enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, it is important to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (23 May 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the primary school in question. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 May 2024)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB). The Tender Report has been received by my Department and is currently under review from both a technical and cost perspective. Once completed my Department will revert to CMETB directly on the outcome and the next steps to progress this project. CMETB will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 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.