Results 5,301-5,320 of 19,968 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: In 2018, my Department established a Steering Group on Teacher Supply to facilitate multi-agency engagement and to lead on a coordinated programme of actions to support the supply of teachers. Arising from the work of this Group and its various substructures, the Teacher Supply Action Plan was published in November 2018. The Action Plan called for the development of upskilling programmes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: My 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 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Renewable Energy Generation (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: I was delighted to launch, together with the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ossian Smyth, the first phase of the SchoolsPhotovoltaic Programme on 23rd November. It will allow up to 4,000 schools nationwide to get solar PV panels to reduce their energy bills and their carbon emissions. This ties in with the strong ethos of environmental...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services were provided...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: 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 for the cost of employing ancillary services staff....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: 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 for the cost of employing ancillary services staff....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: 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 for the cost of employing ancillary services staff....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: As you may be aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis and was last opened for applications in 2019.The SWS is not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department is providing a payroll service for school secretaries with effect from 1st September 2023. The provision of a payroll service is part of a package agreed with Fórsa, the trade union representing school secretaries, following a series of engagements at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and also includes revised terms and conditions for secretaries. Part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my Department to address concentrated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: An application for Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) funding was received from this school under Category 10: External Environment works in respect of a play area. This application has now been approved and the school has been informed of this decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Dec 2023)

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. Attracting qualified teachers, whether working overseas or not, is required to address teacher supply issues. As a result, several measures are already in place to support teachers who either...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Dec 2023)

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 (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers applied for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for a roof replacement which was outside the scope of the EWS. The school was asked to scale back the works to leak repairs only. The revised application has been received by my Department, these works have been approved and the school has been informed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: Since 2020 we have invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 690 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects. School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have over 200 modular accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: Earlier this year the Department received a report from a Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) working group. The report proposed the creation of a national relocation scheme whereby teachers would identify the locations that they would like to relocate to through a portal and then effectively “swap” with teachers in that location. The proposal included findings from a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. The brief for this project includes an extension to the existing school buildings, as defined in the schedules of accommodation, decanting if required, necessary to satisfactorily develop the post primary school on its existing site. The Stage 2b report has been received and is currently under...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the Central Remedial Clinic. The brief includes both the development of a new school building for pupils with special educational needs and a clinical services building. The delivery body has appointed a design team to manage the progression of the project. The project is currently at Stage 2a (detailed design) of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Communications (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education operates an X account (formerly Twitter) and a LinkedIn account. Both accounts are verified. No subscription has been paid. The Department uses social media platforms as part of how it communicates with the public and will continue to keep all platforms under review with a view to ensuring it can share its messages with the public in the most effective manner....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 257 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...