Results 5,321-5,340 of 19,968 for speaker:Norma Foley

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 Staff (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: The Department has allocated an equivalent of 928 guidance posts for the current school year 2023/24. Each school receives an allocation for guidance that is separate from the general allocation to schools. In this way, the hours for guidance are ring-fenced. The hours for guidance are subject to change each year as they are calculated with regard to student numbers in each school. Measures...

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

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme issued to the school in question for the provision of three special classrooms and ancillary accommodation. The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This programme provides project management supports to...

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

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has recently received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. The purpose of the ASA 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...

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

Norma Foley: The current Summer Work Scheme (SWS) 2020, is a multi-annual based scheme that was announced in 2019 and commenced in the summer of 2020. Schools were invited to make applications under the scheme in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Circular Letter 0027/2019. The purpose of the SWS is to devolve funding to individual recognised primary and post-primary school authorities, to...

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

Norma Foley: 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. Department of Education Spend 2019-2023 YTD (ex VAT) Year X (formerly Twitter) 2019 € 2,543.80 ...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question. The Department is aware of pressures for school places in the Malahide School Planning Area. A critical next step is to acquire clarity on the actual number of additional first year places required for 2024 in order for an appropriate...

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

Norma Foley: School caretakers are valued members of our school communities and the Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by such individuals in the running of our schools. As you have mentioned in 2022 a suite of measures designed to improve the working conditions of school secretaries was agreed and since then comprehensive work to move school secretaries who have accepted...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teagasc na Gaeilge (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: Ba mhian liom a chur in iúl don Teachta go bhfuil an Roinn ag obair ar na sonraí a d’iarr sé a chur le chéile agus cuirfidh sí chuig an Teachta iad a luaithe is atá siad ar fáil.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teagasc na Gaeilge (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: Ba mhian liom a chur in iúl don Teachta go raibh cúinse nua curtha leis na himlitreacha athbhreithnithe ar ábhar díolúine ó staidéar na Gaeilge (Imlitir 0054/2022 bunscoile agus 0055/2022 iar-bhunscoil) a foilsíodh i Meán Fómhair 2022 lena gcur i bhfeidhm. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an gcúinse nua seo freastal ar riachtanais...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teagasc na Gaeilge (5 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: Ba mhian liom a chur in iúl don Teachta go bhfuil an Roinn ag obair ar na sonraí a d’iarr sé a chur le chéile agus cuirfidh sí chuig an Teachta iad a luaithe is atá siad ar fáil.

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

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below: Minister Owned Properties in Wicklow Location Status East Glendalough School Wicklow Site in use by school Blessington Educate Together School Blessington Site in use by school St Mary's Senior National School ...

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

Norma Foley: Temporary prefab accommodation in schools may be rented or purchased and funded by the Department or by the school authority itself, with or without Department sanction. For that reason it is not possible to provide the Deputy with a complete picture in respect of all temporary prefab accommodation at schools as requested. As the Deputy will appreciate, within the context of a rapidly...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (30 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: I reiterate that I am very pleased the Deputy has raised this issue. It is important to state, for the record, that section 64 of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 makes clear that no fee can be charged for enrolment or instruction in any subject, recreation or other activities where all pupils are expected to participate. That is very clear. In this instance, the school has...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (30 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: Under the Education Act 1998, the question of enrolment policy in individual schools, including the setting of catchment areas, is the responsibility of the board of management on behalf of the school patron. The selection process, and the enrolment policy on which it is based, must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (30 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: For clarity, the Department of Education does not set out any catchment areas and we have no function in setting out catchment areas for schools. That is the preserve of the boards of management and the Department of Education has no function there. For the school referenced by the Deputy, it is my understanding that there is no catchment area designed by the board of management. Schools...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (30 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: To be fair, our geographical information system, which is based on current information from the CSO or engagement with local authorities, very much informs our projections going forward in terms of the needs in a specific area. I have already outlined that we are conscious of the growing demands.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (30 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: Boards of management have the autonomy to develop their own unique and individual criteria. No two schools are the same and we are very conscious of that. Individual schools have the autonomy, taking on board what are the individual circumstances in an individual area at any given time, to make their policies with regard to admission. As I said, the Department has no role in developing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (30 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, is important legislation which has introduced a more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary and post-primary schools. The legislation is part of a suite of measures taken to take greater account of the needs of parents and students in the school system. All...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (30 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: I appreciate that the Deputy has highlighted a very important issue. We need to reiterate that no parent can be charged for enrolment to a school or for tuition in any subject. Section 64 of the Act makes that explicitly clear. This school has said it never intended for any link to be made between enrolment and the paying of a fee. The school has categorically confirmed that it does not...