Results 12,441-12,460 of 20,013 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 126 together. The report which the Deputy has referred to was submitted to me on 22 March 2021.  This report highlighted, along with a number of other reports, the ongoing needs of survivors of institutional abuse and the lifelong difficulties they may experience.  A survivor-led consultative forum was also established and has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 the Board of Management of a school must inform Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) of their intention to expel a student. TESS prioritise expulsion cases. Once the intention to expel notification is received by TESS, 20 school days must elapse before a decision can be made by the Board of Management of the school to expel the student. During...

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

Norma Foley: The permanent school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been assigned to the Department’s Design & Build delivery programme. The Design & Build programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.  A pre-planning meeting with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, utilising data from a range of sources including child benefit data, departmental pupil databases, CSO statistics and information on recent and planned housing developments to forecast school place requirements at primary...

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

Norma Foley: The major construction project for the school referred to by the Deputy commenced on site in October 2020. Works are progressing satisfactorily on site and it is anticipated that the school will be ready for occupation in quarter four 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Under Action 88 of the DEIS Plan my Department has undertaken a review of out-of-school education provision. This review was carried out by a Working Group chaired by my Department and comprised of representatives from stakeholders including the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Tusla, Solas, Education and Training Boards Ireland and the National Educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: A number of published reports have highlighted the ongoing needs of survivors of institutional abuse and the lifelong difficulties they may experience. A survivor-led consultative forum was also established and has provided a very good insight into the areas where supports may be provided in the future. This work, including the reports produced by the consultative forum, are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The development of students’ oral language skills is to the fore in the new specifications for Irish as part of the Framework for Junior Cycle. The previous oral examination in the Junior Certificate was optional and was taken by approximately 40% of students, and was generally assessed by their teachers. The new assessment arrangements under the Framework for Junior Cycle on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The delivery of high quality internet connectivity for all schools is a key objective of my Department. It is accepted that good connectivity is essential to ensure that schools are facilitated to progress the embedding of digital technologies in teaching and learning and for the implementation of new and revised curriculum. My Department operates the Schools Broadband...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Holy Family Community School, Rathcoole (RN 91301D) The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy was authorised to proceed to tender stage on 11thFeb 2022.  A Tender stage normally takes between 6-8 months to complete.  The project is expected to commence on site in Quarter 4 of 2022. St Joseph's College, Lucan (RN 60263V)  The major building...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Scoil Chrónáin RN 19530H The permanent school building project for Scoil Chronáin has been assigned to my Department’s Design & Build delivery programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.  The planning application for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (1 Mar 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 (GIS) 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. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: At the outset, I want to acknowledge the key role played by student teachers in supporting our schools throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in providing substitution cover. This support was vitally important to ensure that our schools remained open for pupils.  In this regard, the Deputy will be aware that a framework for adapted School Placement arrangements was developed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm for the Deputy that the legal ownership of the site you refer to has been finalised. My officials are currently reviewing the issue raised in the Details Supplied and will contact your office directly in respect to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Mar 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 these staff under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions those staff are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Mar 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. The purpose of my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. This investment will build on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The DEIS programme provides for a range of supports including smaller class sizes, additional teaching posts, enhanced book grants, school meals, curriculum supports, priority access to Continuing Professional Development and Home School Community Liaison Coordinators.  The Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) scheme is a key support provided under the DEIS programme and is one of three...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: As funding from my Department is not allocated or recorded on a county basis I am therefore not in a position to readily provide details on the amounts paid to schools in County Cork over the extensive period of time set out in the Deputy's Parliamentary Question. My Department is reviewing the information that is available to it and I will provide any such information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gender Equality (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to fostering a culture that fully supports equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, is reflective of Irish society and ensures an environment that promotes equality, prevents discrimination and protects the human rights of staff. One of the main aims of my Department’s Gender Balance Action Plan is to address gender balance at senior levels in...