Results 13,481-13,500 of 20,013 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including school planning areas in Malahide and Portmarnock, County Dublin. Where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education is guided by Public Health as to the mitigation measures needed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in our schools. The aim of all of the Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures that have been put in place for schools is to support schools to operate safely and prevent the introduction of Covid-19 and also the onward of transmission of Covid-19 among the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: 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 Leaving Certificate Exams Advisory Group. This Group includes representation from students, parents, teachers and schools. Details of these adjustments were issued to schools on 19 August 2021 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: Agricultural Science forms an important element of the science curriculum at Leaving Certificate level. The new specification was introduced to schools in 2019 and was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) through a Subject Development Group. Members of the Irish Agricultural Science Teachers Association (IASTA) were represented on the NCCA’s Subject...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, agreement in principle had been reached to acquire a site for the permanent location of the school in question. Contracts for sale have now been signed, conditional on the landowner providing required infrastructure upgrades to serve the site. My Department have been advised that these infrastructure upgrades are programmed to commence by the end of the year. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools and supporting small schools. Budget 2022 progressed the ongoing major investment in our primary and post primary school and has brought the teacher allocation ratio in all primary schools to the lowest ever seen at primary level. This is the second...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The approach to supporting schools to operate during Covid-19 has been to follow and implement public health advice. My Department continues to engage regularly with the Department of Health, HSE and public health experts regarding COVID-19. The sharing of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a school setting is carried out when a specific public health action is required as a follow up. To...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (23 Nov 2021)

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 of the programme to further schools. This year my Department will spend in the region...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: Tá mo Roinn tiomanta chun an soláthar oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge a threisú. Ó foilsíodh an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge, tá dul chun cinn suntasach déanta chun tacú le forbairt agus cur i bhfeidhm an oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tá dul chun cinn déanta ar réimse forbairtí curaclaim Gaeilge...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: It is vital that the education system is one in which every child and young person feels supported and nurtured. The teacher education support services funded by my Department provide a wide array of CPD supports to teachers and school leaders which aim to promote inclusivity and equality. These are also key elements of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum. Schools also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The School Building projects are part of the National Development Plan and Project Ireland 2040. My Department is committed to progressing these projects as quickly as possible. There are currently in excess of 250 school building projects at construction (on site) with a continuous stream of other projects at or near the tendering stage. These are being progressed as quickly as possible....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The approach to supporting schools to operate during Covid-19 has been to follow and implement public health advice. The Department of Education engages regularly with public health experts as well as the Department of Health on these issues. Considerable measures are in place across schools to support their operation from physical distancing to enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the Rath Dara Community College. It is open to the school to liaise with its patron, Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB, regarding any accommodation needs that the school is experiencing. Danu Community Special School was established in 2019 to meet emerging requirements for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Nov 2021)

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: Departmental Policies (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: Earlier this year I announced an extensive consultation process to help inform the development of the new Digital Strategy for Schools. This is intended as a successor strategy to the previous strategy, which saw considerable involvement, in digital teaching and learning. Central to this was my intention of ensuring that all voices had an opportunity to be heard and to inform the new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: 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 Leaving Certificate Exams Advisory Group. This Group includes representation from students, parents, teachers and schools. Details of these adjustments were issued to schools on 19 August...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 158 together. 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, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is an amalgamation of St. Joseph’s and St. Brigid’s primary schools. The project brief provides for the construction of a new 12 classroom building with a 2 classroom Special Education Needs Base (SEN) and ancillary facilities to replace the existing St. Joseph’s Senior Primary School. The 6 classroom...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Inspections (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The Inspectorate of my Department is very conscious of the impact that the Covid pandemic has had, and continues to have, on the work of schools. It has adjusted its inspection programme for schools in the light of this context and is planning further adjustments. To date in the current school term, the inspection programme has been confined to essential inspection activities in the following...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (23 Nov 2021)

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 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circulars 0044/2019 and 31/2011, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers and ensure...