Results 14,841-14,860 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (15 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (15 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: A building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's school building programme. My Department is currently considering the accommodation brief for the proposed project and will be in contact with the school during this process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (15 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The staffing arrangements at primary level include a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolments for the following September. My Department has received a developing post application from the school referred to by the Deputy which is currently being processed. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (15 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's school building programme. My Department has reached Agreement in Principle with a landowner in respect of the acquisition of a site for this school. Significant progress has been made recently and the Department expects the acquisition to proceed to Legal Conveyancing stage in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (15 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is aware of the recently published report referred to by the Deputy, and the recommendations contained therein. My officials met recently with the school principals of the 3 primary schools referred to in the report and is currently exploring options to address the issues which are highlighted in the report.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (15 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current 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. The purpose of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The Parental Leave Scheme for teachers is contained at Chapter 5 of my Department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019 titled ‘Leave Schemes for Registered Teachers Employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools’. Parental Leave is provided under the Parental Leave Act 1998 to allow a teacher a period of unpaid leave to care for his/her child. An eligible teacher is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education, in close consultation with experts in the HSE, has developed a range of approaches to facilitate the safe operation of schools during this time. The evidence to date from a public health perspective is that transmission rates of Covid-19 in schools are low. This is a result of the effectiveness of the public health infection prevention and control guidelines for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The NCCA has established two development groups, one for primary and one for post-primary, to oversee the work in this area and support the development of guidance material for schools. Both the primary and post primary SPHE/RSE Development Groups have been meeting virtually on a monthly basis since the groups were convened in October 2020. The immediate focus of the work...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. For the 2021/22 school year, an improvement of one point in the appointment threshold in primary schools has been introduced and schools will be provided with class teachers on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. The Design Team is currently working on the completion of the Stage 2(b) report which upon...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that  my Department has written to the school authority in question relating to the matters raised by the school.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with 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: Teaching Qualifications (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that in order to be a recognised Guidance Counsellor in a post primary school, one must hold (a) a post-primary teaching qualification (PME) (b) a recognised qualification in school guidance counselling and (c) be fully recognised by the Teaching Council as a post-primary teacher. Circular 0031/2011 on Teacher Recruitment, Registration and Qualifications and sets...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: As you are aware, the ex gratia scheme was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from and in response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) relating to Louise O'Keeffe.  The Department undertook to review the scheme in response to a determination by the Independent Assessor, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill that one of the criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme, from the school authority referred to by the Deputy.  Officials from my Department have been communicating with the school authority and as a result of additional information provided, the application is now...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm for the Deputy that Clare County Council have finalised the legal conveyancing on a plot of land in the centre of Kilrush which was acquired from a third party landowner. As the Deputy is aware, a master planning exercise is nearing completion by Clare County Council (assisted by this Department) in order to determine the best technical layout for the site. Once this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Places (3 Jun 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 Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: - Duplication...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (2 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Before I address it specifically, I wish to provide the House an outline of the extent of the school transport service. School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the current school year, more than 114,000 children, including more than 14,700 children with special educational needs,...