Results 3,021-3,040 of 19,968 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (20 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my department has received a request from the patron of the schools under reference for the amalgamation of the two schools. As the Deputy will be aware the decision making authority for school amalgamations belongs to the patron or trustees of a school, and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education. Any proposed change involves...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Jun 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 process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The appeal submitted...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Jun 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 Accommodation (20 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide 1 Classroom SEN Base and 1 SET room under the 2019 Additional School Accommodation Scheme. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. A Stage 3 (tender report) has been received by my Department which is currently being reviewed....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 128 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Jun 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: Schools Administration (20 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that the issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools on public roads, such as road crossings, road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter , for the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools to ensure...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: We will discuss those on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: To be clear, the ordinary medical card, as the Deputy referenced it, is subject to review. It is not given for life and it is means tested, whereas this medical card is not means tested. It is not and will not be subject to review and it is available for life. So, there is a clear distinction between what people class as the ordinary medical card and this enhanced medical card that is...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge the work that was done by the committee members during the pre-legislative scrutiny stage. Data and GDPR were raised by the committee and I want to be very clear that we strengthened the Bill as a consequence of that. Freedom of information and GDPR do apply. The records will still be in existence. I want to be clear about this. As I outlined in my speech, there is no...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: By and large, it might refer to a requirement for whatever needs to be done in a person's house. It is strictly to do with supports that might be required for housing, for example. There are no personal testimonies about experience in industrial schools or wherever else. It is my clear understanding that it is simply to do with records, whether it is invoices or applications for materials...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: No, there is no personal testimony there at all.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: There is no justification sought, as it were.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the committee of a minor technical amendment that is currently being finalised that I intend to introduce on Report Stage. This is an amendment to section 4(1)(d), which currently provides for the provision of a home help service following an assessment of need made by a registered medical practitioner or a registered nurse. The HSE has informed the Department that in the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: With regard to the HAA, there is an acknowledgement that it was awarded for a very specific case of life-threatening illness. I have already outlined that the enhanced medical card that is being awarded is for life. It is not means-tested and it is not subject to review. Deputy Pringle referred to the support staff having trauma-informed training. There is a very clear outline and...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: All housing applications are adjudicated on the basis of need. In the interests of that underlying and guiding principle, houses are allocated on the basis of need, but accommodation is always given to those with a specific need, whether a vulnerability, disability, health ailment or whatever. That continues here. If one person's need is greater than another's, housing will be allocated on...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: I have not come across a situation where medical need or vulnerability was not taken into consideration for a particular type of housing. Where there is a medical need or vulnerability, that is included in the consideration.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: Yes. To support and make survivors aware of their entitlements, Sage Advocacy is working to ensure they get the maximum opportunity to present their case, whether a health case, housing case or whatever it is.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: It is done on the basis of need. The adjudication is whether there is a medical need which supersedes the need of a person who does not have a medical need. That is the basis of it.