Results 3,361-3,380 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the major building project for Scoil Chiaráin Special School is a significant priority for my Department. While the original project brief was to deliver a new extension and refurbishment of the current school building, it was agreed, following a review by the Design Team to revise the project scope to deliver a new replacement school at the current site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (18 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The Government recognises the importance of a strong education system in supporting access for all students to Irish language and culture and its significant role in the revitalisation and maintenance of Irish in Gaeltacht communities and beyond. As the Deputy will be aware, the Irish language is a core subject in the national curricula for recognised primary and post-primary schools and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers was approved a project under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA) for the provision of 2 general classrooms. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received a Stage 2b (post planning approval) report from the school. This report is currently being reviewed from both a technical and cost perspective in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (18 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: As you are aware in early March, I announced details of a new ground-breaking scheme which provides free schoolbooks to Junior Cycle students in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. To support its implementation my Department published guidance for schools on the new Junior Cycle Schoolbooks Scheme. More than 213,000 students enrolled in approximately 670 post-primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers, includes an extension to the existing school buildings, decanting if required, necessary to satisfactorily develop the post primary school on its existing site to cater for an enrolment of 700 pupils. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and it has appointed a design team to progress the project. The Stage 2b...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (18 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 191 together. My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the Ancillary grant to cater...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. The project will provide 2 mainstream classrooms, 2 classroom SEN base and early intervention unit. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and is currently awaiting approval to construction. My Department has a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers was approved a project under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA) for the provision of 3 general classrooms and 1 SET room. The project is devolved to the school authority for delivery. I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has recently received a Stage 3 tender report from the school. This report is currently...

Seanad: School Enrolments: Motion (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I have another commitment I have to leave for. I will come in now and stay for as long as I can for other contributions. I thank the House for the opportunity to be here. I thank Senators O'Loughlin and Byrne for proposing and seconding the motion. It gives me an opportunity to set out the range of actions being taken by the Department of Education to plan for and deliver additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The major project referred to by the Deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. A tender report was received by Department Officials in 2023, in the course of the review it was noted that the planning permission was due to expire in early December 2023 and a new planning permission was required. We are liaising with the Design team in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: 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 and also encompasses the Language Support (EAL) allocation that schools were allocated in previous years. All schools are advised in the first instance to review whether the needs of newly enrolled...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that officials from the Pension Unit of my Department are currently in contact with the person referred to in your correspondence in relation to her pensionable entitlement. Officials in Pension Unit expect to bring these matters to a satisfactory conclusion once the individual concerned completes the necessary forms.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (17 Apr 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 Transport (17 Apr 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 Building Projects (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy has been approved for a project under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. This project includes the provision of 2 mainstream classrooms, 1 SET room and the refurbishment of 4 existing classrooms into 2 mainstream classrooms. The responsibility for delivery of the project has been delegated to the school authority. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department has no remit relating to the boarding facilities of schools. This element of the school is privately owned and managed and is a matter for the school board of management. The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area. The provision of school places to meet the needs of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of an application, under the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question for additional mainstream and special education tuition accommodation. The purpose of the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning - Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, where the design team secure all statutory approvals and prepare the suite of tender documents. The Stage 2(b) Submission has been received in my Department and is currently under review. In order to assist with the review, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 44 together. My Department is committed to ensuring that grant-funded school caretakers will be afforded the opportunity to avail of a similar agreement that was offered to grant-funded school secretaries under the February 2022 WRC agreement. A deficit of data on caretaker terms and conditions despite a number of surveys had meant this was not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board (MSLETB). I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project was recently approved by the Department to proceed to Stage 2a of the architectural planning process. The Design Team will now begin working on the developed design. Once the Stage 2a submission is...