Results 13,721-13,740 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, 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, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 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 ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: An Occupational Health Strategy is in place as a supportive resource for individual staff members in recognised primary and post primary schools. The aim of the Occupational Health Strategy is to promote the health and wellbeing of employees in the workplace, with a strong focus on prevention. The Occupational Health Strategy comprises the Employee Assistance Service and the Occupational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: The information sought by the Deputy is being collated by officials in my Department. A response will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation (ASA) from the school authority in question. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Revenue Commissioners (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: Within the period 2016 to 2020, one of the State agencies under the remit of my Department entered into a settlement with the Revenue Commissioners. The Educational Research Centre was non-compliant with the requirement to produce P46s and as a result, Revenue levied a fine of €4,000, which was paid in 2018.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 407 and 408 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department will arrange to visit the land in question. On foot of this visit my Department will take any remedial works where appropriate.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I refer to the application for a spouse's pension, in respect of the deceased member of the Primary School Teachers Pension Scheme. Following consultation with the relevant officials, I can confirm that the application for spouse's pension has been processed by the Pension Unit. It is expected that the payment will commence in the next pay issue from the Department's Retired Teachers Payroll.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Oct 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 support small schools. As part of the Budget 2021 measures, the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule and the introduction of a three point reduction in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department implemented the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments (September 2012) by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which means that many allowances, including this one, were no longer payable to “new entrant” Teachers. Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this review on teachers. In common with a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (5 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. The purpose of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: The masterplan document to which the Deputy refers does not belong to my Department and it is not therefore within our remit to release it. Enquiries are being made with the owner of the masterplan as to whether it is available for public release or how a copy might be obtained. I will keep the Deputy informed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department was in contact with the Patron of the school in question in relation to an application for Emergency Works to address issues with prefabs at the school. This application was recently submitted to the Department and was approved. The prefabs in question are owned by the patron.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2022 (5 Oct 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. As part of the Budget 2021 measures, the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule and the introduction of a three point reduction in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 421 and 422 together. The provision of Irish-medium education is a priority for my Department and this Government, and we share a strong commitment to increasing the number of Irish-medium places available and providing suitable accommodation in this regard. As the Deputy may be aware, I approved a proposal for a new satellite model of Irish-medium...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: The information requested by the deputy on the number of quantity surveyors and civil and structural engineers employed by my Department is set out in the following table. My Department is also in the process of recruiting additional engineering and QS staff in order to maintain access to the necessary expertise required to implement its extensive capital programme. Quantity surveyors and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Oct 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that details of all primary schools currently renting temporary prefabricated accommodation are currently being compiled and will be forwarded in the coming days. While the Department is aware that some schools are operating some classes in purchased prefabs around the country (funded by the Department and/or by the school authority), accurate information in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (30 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: At Senior Cycle, PE is currently available through both the optional examinable subject, Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE) and the non-examinable Senior Cycle Physical Education (SCPE) Framework. The examinable LCPE subject was introduced to 64 schools as part of the phase 1 introduction of the subject from September 2018.  From September 2020, any school that wishes to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has taken the decision not to pursue the original proposal to meet the long term accommodation needs of the school in question. An alternative proposal will be progressed and due to sensitivities involved, it is not possible to comment further at this time.