Results 4,521-4,540 of 19,968 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my 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 from the Department of Social Protection, and my Department's own school...

Death of Michael O'Regan: Expressions of Sympathy (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I also would like to be associated with the words of sympathy to the late Michael O'Regan's family and, indeed, to his colleagues in The Irish Times, his family in Radio Kerry and the constituency of Kerry. Michael was much revered, much respected and, indeed, I would say, much loved, particularly in Kerry but, I would feel, far beyond. He was the consummate journalist. He was well...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: Work is progressing in my Department on the development of the new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. The steering committee which includes representatives drawn from relevant Government Departments and Agencies, is continuing to oversee the development of the policy. A public consultation process has been conducted to gather the views of stakeholders, including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that I am considering the report of the Oireachtas Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community which was published on 7thFebruary. In my own evidence to the Committee, I very much addressed the daily challenges faced by children with special educational needs and the importance of recognising these genuine challenges, and, where it is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: Staff working in the NTS Payroll section of my Department recently contacted all school secretaries who opted into the new arrangements but who did not come on to my Department’s payroll because of retirement prior to the "go-live" date of 01/09/2023. Contact was also made with the schools in which these secretaries were last employed. The reason for these contacts was to gather...

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

Norma Foley: I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of an application, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the above named school. The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Flexible Work Practices (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: As outlined in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 267 of 23 January 2024, my Department has no policy in place which facilitates School Principals or Deputy-Principals to work from home. The right to request remote working will be available to all employees under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 and a Code Of Practice in relation to this issue is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: Typically, each school building project requires the appointment of a design team which consists of multidisciplinary team members including Quantity Surveyors, Engineers and Architects and other members as required. Design teams are led by a Design Team Leader, whose responsibility typically lies with the Architect appointed on the project. The role of the Design Team Leader is similar to a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The large scale capital project for the completion of a school referred to by the deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. A tender report is under review by Department Officials. When this review is complete my Department will be in contact with the School Authority and the Design Team to progress the project and to authorise the issue of the Letter of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The project for the school in question is currently part of a dispute resolution mechanism under the contract. My Department is liaising with the school authority in relation to the conciliation process regarding the matters that were in dispute with the former contractor. My Department is also working on the arrangements for the completion of this project as quickly as possible by a new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The provision of the temporary accommodation at the school referred to by the Deputy, was an integral part of the overall tender and the Contract awarded, and therefore is not available as a separate sum.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Schooling (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The Home Tuition Grant Scheme is available to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. Home tuition is provided as an interim measure only for children for whom a placement in a recognised school is not currently available, for a variety of reasons. It is a short term measure,...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 258, 267 and 325 together. The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. The terms of this scheme are set out in circular 24/2023 which is available on the Government of Ireland website gov - Home...

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

Norma Foley: The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published last year and is underpinned by an investment of €200m to support its implementation, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The first tranche of €50m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in late 2021. The previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 to 2020 saw overall...

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

Norma Foley: The Additional School Accommodation scheme project in relation to the school in question is currently under consideration. The assessment process is at the final stage with a decision expected to issue to the school authority in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published last year and is underpinned by an investment of €200m to support its implementation, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The first tranche of €50m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in late 2021. The previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 to 2020 saw overall...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (20 Feb 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 (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, the school to which he refers was approved a school building project under the Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project is being managed on a devolved basis by Louth and Meath Education and Training Board, on behalf of the school authority and a design team was appointed for the project. The project approved consists of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department concluded its investigation into the disclosure made a number of years ago, and corresponded with the discloser at that time to inform them of the outcome. The Department corresponded in writing with the discloser’s solicitor on 5 October 2020 and 25 May 2021, and directly with the discloser on 14 August 2018, 28 January 2019 and 29 September 2021. The Department will...