Results 13,521-13,540 of 20,013 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117, 139, 157 and 172 together. The Department of Education has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. These measures protect students, their parents and school staff and are very effective. Public Health continue to advise that the two most important...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 143 together. As the Deputies will be aware, between 2016 and 2020 the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) undertook an extensive review of senior cycle programmes and vocational pathways. The NCCA’s Advisory Report on the Senior Cycle has been submitted to my Department for consideration. The review involved a very broad...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 368 together. Following public health advice, the government has agreed a range of measures aimed at interrupting the spread of COVID-19 in the community. One of these measures is that household close contacts who are fully vaccinated and showing no symptoms should now restrict their movements until they have 3 negative antigen test results within 5...

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

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 mid-west Dublin areas. However, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: - Duplication of...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 147 together. The Department of Health and the HSE, working in collaboration with the Department of Education has announced a programme in which antigen tests will be made available to children in a primary school pod, where a child in the pod is a confirmed case of COVID-19. The tests will be sent to the children’s parents by the HSE. ...

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

Norma Foley: The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website (circular 0007/2021). The Department provides a staffing allocation to each ETB and the distribution of this staffing allocation including Small School posts is a matter for the Chief Executive of the ETB scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Educational Institutions (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, I attended the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science last September to provide an update on a number of issues including the measures that are being taken to prevent and tackle bullying in schools. During my appearance at the Joint Committee, I announced that my Department will commence a review...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Island Communities (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: A package of additional supports was provided for each of the five island post-primary schools from September 2018 onwards. The package of supports comprises: - an additional teacher allocation for each of the island post-primary schools of 1 full-time equivalent post to 1.5 full-time equivalent posts - an additional ring-fenced budget of €15,000 per annum for each school - the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The provision of health therapy supports for children with disabilities, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, are provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE). Matters in relation to the provision of health-related services should therefore be directed to that body or to the Department of Health.

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

Norma Foley: In April 2018, then Minister for Education and Skills Mr. Richard Bruton asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to undertake a major review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools across all stages of education to ensure that it is fit for purpose and meets the needs of young people today in modern Ireland. The NCCA advises the Department and...

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

Norma Foley: Access to sexual and health education is an important right for students. Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary Junior Cycle. Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is required at all levels, from primary through to Senior Cycle. All schools are required to have an RSE policy that is developed in...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130, 155 and 171 together. A range of measures are in place to provide enhanced substitute cover in the context of current challenges arising from the Covid-19 emergency. These include a major expansion of the primary substitute teacher supply panels, which now employ almost 380 teachers and provide substitute cover to over 2,500 primary schools across the...

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

Norma Foley: The delivery of a new building for the school to which the Deputy refers, has been devolved to Cork Education and Training Board. This new school building will cater for a long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 pupils and includes a 4-Class SEN Base. Following the Stage 1 meeting with the Department in September 2021, the project was sanctioned to proceed to Stage 2a. Currently the design...

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

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 to...

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

Norma Foley: The Department of Education has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. These measures protect students, their parents and school staff and are very effective. The Department of Health and the HSE, working in collaboration with the Department of Education has announced a programme in...

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

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020. All children who are...

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 at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design. On the 21stSeptember 2021, my Department authorised Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) and its design team to complete the pre-qualification process to shortlist building contractors and then proceed to Tender Stage....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Programmes (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 to additional schools. This package follows an extensive body of work which has been...

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

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2020/21 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020. Planning for school...

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

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. A copy of the guidance is published...