Results 13,601-13,620 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 122 together. As part of the COVID-19 supports provided to schools in 2020, additional funding of €41.2 million was allocated to provide primary schools with substitute staff. This funding allowed for the expansion of the Substitute Teacher Supply Panel from a pilot scheme consisting of 6 base schools to 132 Substitute Teacher Supply...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (14 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department provides a number of policies and programmes which are supportive of homework clubs for students at risk of educational disadvantage.  All DEIS schools receive an additional DEIS grant which is to be used to support the implementation of the schools’ DEIS Action Plan for Improvement. This Plan sets targets under key themes, such as attendance, retention,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (14 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: An arrangement was made through An Chomhairle Leabharlanna in 1971, whereby the local authority librarians would provide services for Primary schools.  At that time my Department made a grant available for this purpose based on the number of pupils enrolled in primary schools in the local authority areas. As Minister for Education I am very conscious of the importance of library services...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Oct 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.  As the Deputy is aware,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (14 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be forwarded by my Department to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has always been guided by Public Health in relation to appropriate Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures that have been put in place in schools to operate safely and prevent the introduction of Covid-19 and also the onward of transmission of Covid-19 among the school community. The very high rates of take up of the vaccines across society has been hugely...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (14 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together. Marino Institute of Education is a private charitable trust under the co-trusteeship of the European Province of the Congregation of Christian Brothers and Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin offering a range of educational programmes including primary initial teacher education (ITE), early childhood education and further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Oct 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...

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil as ucht an deis seo a thabhairt dom. I am pleased to confirm to this House a €9.2 billion investment in education as a consequence of budget 2022. It is a significant investment but it is both richly appropriate and deserved by the education sector. From my experience as a teacher I know of the transformative power of education. It has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that rental of €174,355 has been expended to date on temporary accommodation at the school in question. As requested the information is also provided in tabular form attached. 2014 NIL 2015 NIL 2016 NIL 2017 NIL 2018 € 14,058.90 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126, 131, 140, 141 and 142 together. Among the COVID-19 supports provided for the 2020/21 school year, additional measures to provide for substitution to cover for teacher absences were introduced. These included a major expansion of the Substitute Teacher Supply Panels. These were extended and currently almost 380 newly appointed supply panel teachers are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (13 Oct 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, are 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 transport...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of the huge contribution made by all Principals in our schools, including teaching principals. The COVID-19 supports provided under The Roadmap for the Full Return to School in 2020, included specific funding to support Principals who undertake teaching duties in primary schools. This funding provided each teaching principal with a minimum of one release day per week....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Good ventilation was identified as an important aspect of public health advice on managing Covid-19 risks and this led to the establishment of an Expert Group by the Department of Health. A sub-group of the main Expert Group focussed exclusively on the issue of improving and monitoring...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I understand the need for improved capitation funding and I am pleased that budget 2020 was able to provide for a 2.5% increase in standard capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools that applied from the start of the 2020/21 school year. This builds on the 5% increase in capitation announced in budget 2019. The combined increases given in 2019 and 2020 mean that circa 40%...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: In November 2019, my Department published a technical report“Developing a Teacher Demand and Supply Model for Ireland 2020-2036”. The report was updated in May 2021 with projections of teacher demand and supply to 2038. These projections take account of projected pupil enrolments, estimated teacher retirements and resignations, and the estimated number of new registrants with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I recognise the key role school leadership has in promoting a school environment which is welcoming, inclusive and accountable. In total 1700 additional leadership posts have been invested in our primary schools since the lifting of the moratorium on posts of responsibility in 2017, which has led to 1 in 3 teachers now holding promoted positions. The Department has committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: Data on the pupil-teacher ratio for all primary schools is published regularly and currently stands at 14.5 for the school year 2020. However data on the pupil-teacher ratio for particular types of schools, such as those with administrative principals, is not currently available. The department is working on developing these statistics and will revert to the deputy with the results as soon as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of the huge contribution made by all Principals in our schools, including teaching principals. The COVID-19 supports provided under The Roadmap for the Full Return to School in 2020, included specific funding to support Principals who undertake teaching duties in primary schools. This funding provided each teaching principal with a minimum of one release day per week....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (13 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers has completed the tender process with a successful bidder identified. The Letter of Acceptance has issued to the successful contractor and it is anticipated that works will commence on site within the next 14 days. Subject to no issues arising, the works are scheduled to take approximately 22 months.