Results 12,641-12,660 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country, including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: Following an extensive site identification, assessment and negotiation process, the Department reached an agreement in principle, subject to contract, for the acquisition of a permanent school site within the grounds of the former Magee Barracks in Kildare Town. The location of this 8 acre greenfield site is next to two existing primary schools, Kildare Town Educate Together NS and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (19 Jan 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: As recently announced, the Teaching Council is now working to put processes and procedures in place to support the registration and vetting of 3rd and 4th year student teachers. In addition, pending the development of those processes and procedures by the Teaching Council, the Department of Education is currently examining how the '5 day rule' is impacting 3rd and 4th year student teachers.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to use research into the cost of disability to properly inform the direction of future policy. The publication last month of the Cost of Disability in Ireland research report will enable the development of a whole of government approach to the costs of disability in Ireland. The research suggests that in order to effectively support those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying of Children (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 720, 721, 722 and 725 together. My Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of wellbeing in schools and has a key role to play in the promotion of the wellbeing of children and young people in Ireland. My Department’s Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice sets out the ambition and vision of my Department that the promotion of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying of Children (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: The Inspectorate will continue to monitor the implementation of anti-bullying measures in schools in 2022. There are currently 103.4 whole-time equivalent primary and post-primary inspectors serving in the Inspectorate and almost all will be involved in the monitoring of the implementation of anti-bullying measures in schools as part of the range of evaluation and advisory work that they will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cyberbullying Issues (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley:  There are extensive training and curricular supports already available to schools, including through the Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) curriculum, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), Webwise.ie and the Department funded national anti-bullying website www.tacklebullying.ie to assist schools in the development of policies and practices on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying of Children (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: The Action Plan on Bullying, which was published in January 2013, sets out my Department's approach to tackling bullying and promoting an anti-bullying culture in schools. It recommends 12 actions that focus on support for schools, teacher training, research and awareness raising and aims to ensure that all forms of bullying are addressed.  A number of these actions have been implemented...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circular 31/ 2011 and Circular 0044/2019 schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 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 Enrolments (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing local pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas, including the school planning area in which the school referred to by the Deputy is located.  However, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (19 Jan 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (19 Jan 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: The planned establishment of a new primary school in the Clondalkin_D22 School Planning Area was announced in 2018 as a result of a countrywide demographic exercise which included an assessment of data on residential development activity, including the planned development at Kilcarbery.  As indicated in its submission to the South County Dublin draft development plan 2022-2028, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (19 Jan 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: State Examinations (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I am conscious that students who are due to take their Junior Cycle/Leaving Certificate examinations in 2022 have experienced a degree of disruption to their learning. On 30 June 2021, I announced that adjustments would be made to the 2022 Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle examinations. As with previous years, adjustments were developed in conjunction with the Advisory Group on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: The two areas referred to by the Deputy are located in two separate school planning areas. There are three primary schools located in the first area referred to by the Deputy. The projected junior infant requirement for this area for 2022/23 school year is 278 places and it is expected that this number can be catered for within the projected intake for the 3 primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: The areas referred to by the Deputy are part of the Scribblestown/Finglas West Primary School Planning Area. There are 8 primary schools in this school planning area offering junior infant places and the projected requirement for junior infant places for the new school year, 2022/23 is 229. My Department understands that there is sufficient capacity in the schools in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (19 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I refer to your recent correspondence to the Minister for Education, Ms. Norma Foley TD, in relation to Junior Certificate Mock Examinations. Decisions to hold mock Junior Cycle examinations are taken by individual schools. The format of these examinations varies from school to school and not all schools run mock examinations. Neither the Department nor the State Examinations Commission has...