Results 12,341-12,360 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (3 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department is in discussions with the HSE regarding the disposal of a site to the HSE, which is part of an existing school site, for the development of a primary care centre. The proposals being discussed are to include the provision of facilities for use by the school. The details of this proposal are currently being finalised by my Department with the HSE. When the details are finalised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I would like to assure the Deputy that the provision of accommodation for pupils with special education needs is a priority for my Department and my officials are aware of the pressing requirement for the provision of post primary classes for pupils with special education needs in Ballincollig. My Department has considered all options for the September 2022 interim accommodation for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Budget 2022 has provided for an allocation of €18million for 2022 and €32million for 2023 to extend the DEIS programme to further schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. This represents an increase of over 20% in funding for the DEIS programme and will enable an expansion in 2022 to additional schools.  This package follows an extensive body of work which has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Budget 2022 has provided for an allocation of €18million for 2022 and €32million for 2023 to extend the DEIS programme to further schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. This represents an increase of over 20% in funding for the DEIS programme and will enable an expansion in 2022 to additional schools. This package follows an extensive body of work which has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school authority referred to by the Deputy.   The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: In recent weeks, I have attended a meeting with the Advisory Group on State Examinations, which has representatives of students, parents, teachers, school managerial bodies, the further and higher education sector, and the State Examinations Commission. Following on from this meeting, I met with the members of the advisory group on a bilateral basis and also had further engagement with each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.   Under the terms of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) is the main policy instrument of the Department of Education to tackle educational disadvantage. Budget 2022 has provided for an allocation of €18million for 2022 and €32million for 2023 to extend the DEIS programme to further schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. This represents an increase of over 20% in funding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. Current public health advice makes it a requirement for a face mask to be worn by teachers, staff in schools, students attending post-primary school, and students from third class upwards in primary school. These measures protect...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.  The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department is at the forefront of design with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both National and International level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification.   Schools that are designed and built in accordance with the Departments Schools technical guidance documents must achieve an A3...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided at the end of May following the work of an expert group that carefully considered the role of ventilation in managing COVID-19. The updated guidance for schools is also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 95 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has initiated a site identification and assessment exercise for a 1,000 pupil post primary school in the area in question and its environs. While a site acquisition process is underway and, given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Curaclam Scoile (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Dúnadh le déanaí comhairliúchán leis an gComhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta, CNCM, ar dhréacht-sonraíochtaí nua do Ghaeilge na hardteistiméireachta. Tá forbairt reatha na ndréacht-sonraíochtaí do Ghaeilge na hardteistiméireachta mar chuid den timthriall...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Curaclam Scoile (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I know that he has a particular and passionate interest in this. He have raised it on an ongoing basis with me. With all due respect, it has been raised by the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and indeed by others here. I wish to acknowledge that there has been considerable engagement via the consultation process. For example, the NCCA has received some 740 responses in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Curaclam Scoile (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I need to say that it is important in every sector, including in the education sector, that the widest realm of people who are involved in the process have an opportunity to put and to record their views and their thoughts. I accept the passionately and sincerely held views that have been articulated by both Deputies here. However, it is important, in the interest of fairness and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disadvantaged Status (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: As I mentioned earlier, the funding package that was identified of €18 million for 2022 and €32 million for 2023 is to facilitate this being up and running in our schools in September 2022. Our schools will be given ample time. It is my intention to ensure that schools are informed in such time as to allow them to plan for the coming school year. In advance of any...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disadvantaged Status (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: -----schools will be informed of their inclusion in the DEIS model. Again, in terms of points that have been raised, it is important to point out that schools are not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme, and that all schools will be considered under the refined model.