Results 14,001-14,020 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Education Act 1998, all recognised schools are managed by the school board of management on behalf of the schools’ patrons or trustees or the relevant Education and Training Board (known as the management authority). Individual school authorities are responsible for the drawing up of a school policy in relation to the wearing of uniforms. My Department issued Circular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (21 Sep 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. Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13th September, there has been significant progress in the Forsa claim for improved terms and conditions of school secretaries. While there is agreement in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: In regard to offices being used by my Department, I can confirm that the reception areas of my Department’s three main buildings in Athlone, Dublin and Tullamore are usually open to the public. However, the reception areas in these offices are closed to the public at present, due to the restrictions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Contact details for the State Bodies under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools. For the 2021/22 school year, an improvement of one point in the appointment threshold in primary schools has been introduced and schools have been provided with class teachers on the basis of of 1 teacher for every 25 pupils which is a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website. Teachers are currently allocated to post primary schools at a ratio of 19:1 in the free education system and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Support for special needs education is one of the most important areas of my Department's operations and an allocation of over €2 Billion has been provided for 2021, representing some 22% of its projected gross voted expenditure for the year. This funding is primarily allocated to meet the salary costs of teachers and special needs assistants but also includes school transport and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I understand the need for improved capitation funding and I am pleased that budget 2020 has been able to provide for a further 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that this Government is fully committed to supporting the primary school sector. In the context of Budget 2022 we will continue to aim to deliver on the commitments set out in the Programme for Government, to meet demographic and other pressures in the school sector and to support and sustain our schools, their staff and our students in the face of the ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Communications (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I am satisfied that my records relating to government or departmental business are retained in line with the requirements of my Department's Record Management Good Practice Guidelines.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. The Teaching Council registers teachers in line with the requirements set out in the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and the Teaching Council (Registration)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (21 Sep 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. In October 2020, in order to expedite the progression of this major building project the Department authorised DDLETB and its Design Team to commence a pre-qualification process to select a shortlist of contractors, in parallel with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The assessment requirements and components for Leaving Certificate subjects are set out in the subject specifications developed and published by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The specification for Leaving Certificate Mandarin Chinese specification is designed for a minimum of 180 hours of class contact time and can be found at the following link:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Work is ongoing within my Department with a view to acquiring a site suitable for the permanent needs of Ennis Educate Together NS. Department officials are continuing to liaise with Clare Co Co on the matter and are making every effort to prioritise same. To this end, a site has been identified, deemed suitable and at an advanced stage of negotiation. On foot of a recent meeting with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, a major building project for the school in question is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design. All statutory approvals have been secured. In October 2020, in order to expedite the progression of this major building project, my Department authorised the school patron and its Design Team to commence a pre-qualification...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: It is my Department’s belief that children with special educational needs should receive their education in placements which are appropriate to their needs alongside their peers wherever possible unless such an approach would be inconsistent with the best interests of the individual child or other children in the school. This approach is consistent with the provisions of the Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Engagement with UCAS, and the relevant UK higher education authorities and bodies, is a matter for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. I understand the Deputy has put a similar question to Minister Harris. On 2 June 2021 I announced that provisional results of the Leaving Certificate would issue on 3 September 2021. This information was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under Action 88 of the DEIS Plan my Department has undertaken a review of out-of school education provision. This review has been carried out by a Working Group chaired by my Department and including representatives from Tusla and the Education and Training Board sector. This review has been informed through the use of questionnaires, submissions from stakeholders and a public consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has concluded the upgrade of the school staff payroll software systems as planned in 2021.We will be progressing a project to deliver access to electronic payslips for all payees in 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: There are various expenditure measures presented in the most Education at a Glance, and expenditure as a percentage of GDP is just one of them. An alternative measure of education spending that is also presented in the OECD report is public expenditure on education as a % of total public expenditure. The OECD reports shows that in 2018 this stood at 12.6 per cent, well above the OECD...