Results 11,181-11,200 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department provides 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/School Services Support Fund (SSSF) to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: Schools were identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme using the refined DEIS identification model. The model was applied to all primary and post primary schools in the State. This was the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme, benefitting 347 schools in total, at a cost of €32 million. My Department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The provision of child and adolescent mental health services lies specifically within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. HSE Primary Care Psychology Services and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provide a range of clinical support to children and young people with mental health needs. However, the Department of Education also plays an important role in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: Several steps have been taken to include climate action and indeed wider sustainable development across the curriculum at each level. Given the importance of climate change as an issue facing Ireland and global society, the Department has prioritised the integration of environmental and climate focused content in the curriculum. My Department’s Strategy on Education for Sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to assure the Deputy that the Department is fully committed to advancing these projects in the shortest timeframe possible. The permanent building project for Blackrock Educate Together Secondary school is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme which uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: At the outset, I would like to acknowledge the centrality of staffing allocations for schools. As the Deputy may be aware, 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 schedule has been improved under both Budgets...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: Social, Personal and Health Education, or SPHE for short, is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary Junior Cycle. RSE is required at all levels in schools, from primary through to Senior Cycle. All schools are required to have an RSE policy that is developed in consultation with the school community, including school management, parents, teachers and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, responsibility for delivering the project in question has been devolved to Dublin & Dún Laoghaire Education & Training Board (DDLETB). The Department of Education originally approved the construction of a standalone extension of just over 4,000m2 in area to include a 2-classroom SEN Base. Some works to the existing building were also included...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) provides a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE Scheme) to support students with a complex variety of special educational needs. The purpose of the scheme is to allow students who have special educational needs that interfere with their capacity to engage with the standard examination arrangements to demonstrate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: On 17thFebruary 2022, NPHET reviewed the remaining public health measures including the infection prevention control measures and restrictions in school settings. The Government has accepted the recommendations of the NPHET to remove remaining restrictions relating to mask-wearing and physical distancing in schools with effect from Monday 28thFebruary. While it will no longer be a requirement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level. In the 2021/22 academic year there are 884 schools in the DEIS Programme - 687 Primary and 197 Post Primary, serving over 180,000 pupils. This represents approximately 20% of the overall school population. On the 9th March, I announced the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was granted approval under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2021 for reconfiguration works in existing space to create a 1 Class SEN Base with sensory room and outdoor SEN play area. The Department notified the school authorities of this approval in December 2021 and, as this is a Devolved project, the first step for the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, my Department provided funding of €17.2 million in 2021 to all of these schools. Schools participating in my Department’s DEIS Programme receive an enhanced rate of book...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) provides a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE Scheme) to support candidates with a complex variety of special educational needs including learning difficulties as well as permanent or temporary physical, visual, hearing, medical, sensory, emotional, behavioural or other conditions. In common with similar schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the acquisition process is at an advanced stage for Booterstown Parish Hall. Heads of Terms have been agreed with the Vendor and draft contracts have been exchanged. My Department is currently engaging with the school in question relating to the proposed reconfiguration of the property for educational needs, including special education needs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, 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, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department provides 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/School Services Support Fund (SSSF) to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukraine War (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 140. I would like to thank the Deputies for their questions. My Department is currently working collaboratively with a number of Departments and organisations to ensure a whole of Government approach to support education provision for arriving children with immediate education needs.  Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I and my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: Schools were identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme using the refined DEIS identification model. The model was applied to all primary and post primary schools in the State. My Department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools who were not satisfied with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 May 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy, that an application for Major Capital Funding, has been received from the school in question. Applications from schools for major capital works must be considered in the context of the demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming years. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland...