Results 15,141-15,160 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (13 May 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 is on creating...

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

Norma Foley: In relation to the school to which the Deputy refers, renewal of the lease has never been a factor in relation to the school remaining in its current accommodation. The school is currently located in interim accommodation at Kill Lane, Deansgrange, Co. Dublin, which can accommodate 2 mainstream classrooms plus ancillary space. It should be noted that the school authorities were informed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (13 May 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 Admissions (13 May 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 Midleton and Carrigtwohill. Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: - Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that officials in my Department are currently in discussions with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown (DLR) County Council officials in relation to two potential permanent school site options for two primary schools in Local Authority area, one of which is the school referred to by the Deputy. Discussions are ongoing so that a determination as to the optimum configuration of school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (13 May 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 the scheme is,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: As part of the Government Decision on 17 February last, the normal Junior Cycle Examination processes were cancelled. Given the priority that needed to be accorded to the Leaving Certificate examinations and the challenge associated with running them, it was not considered feasible to run a set of Junior Cycle Examinations also. Guidance and further information relating to the Junior Cycle...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: Since the onset of Covid-19, my Department has continued engage with education partners to ensure that all schools, including DEIS schools, are supported through periods of enforced remote learning and also now as schools have reopened and learners have returned to the classroom. The Inspectorate carried out telephone surveys of principals in the Sept-Dec 20 period (return to school)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department’s approach to supporting well-being and mental health is set out in the Well-being Policy Statement and Framework for Practice first published in 2018 and refreshed in 2019. The approach is founded on research and best international practice in relation to how schools can best support the well-being and mental health of children and young people. The approach proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The current NDP, as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework, provides for €8.8bn investment in schools during the period 2018 to 2027. The increased investment under the NDP has positioned the State to focus on adding capacity to cater for increased enrolments and demographic needs. During the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526 completed building projects under the Large Scale Capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: In November 2020, as Minister for Education, I approved the annual intake figure for the academic year 2021/22 on the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) initial teacher education programmes provided in the four State-funded HEI providers. I also approved the continuation of the Professional Masters of Education (PME) programmes and the intake figure for the PME programmes provided in the four...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (13 May 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 Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The current NDP, as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework, provides for €8.8bn investment in schools during the period 2018 to 2027. The increased investment under the NDP has positioned the State to focus on adding capacity to cater for increased enrolments and demographic needs. During the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526 completed building projects under the Large Scale Capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Proposed Legislation (13 May 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 (or RSE) is required at all levels, from primary through to Senior Cycle. My Department has set out the content for each of these programmes in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department approved the amalgamation of the three post primary schools in question following an application from the schools' Patrons. A Long Term Projected Enrolment of 800 pupils was agreed with the respective Patrons. I can also confirm that my Department approved significant capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA), to...

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

Norma Foley: 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 the basis of 1 teacher for every 25 pupils which is a historical low ratio. In addition, a three point reduction in the retention scale has also been introduced for September 2021. These measures will help to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application from the schools in question in relation to a proposed amalgamation. As the decision-making authority for any amalgamation is the patron/trustees of the schools concerned, it is open to any patron to submit proposals to the Department for consideration. Any proposed change involves extensive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (13 May 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 Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. The safety of students, staff and the whole school community has been of paramount importance in the approach to the safe operation of schools during COVID-19. The Department has engaged extensively with the HSE public health and the approach to the return to school during this past year has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (13 May 2021)

Norma Foley: DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of my Department of Education to address educational disadvantage at school level. In the 2020/21 academic year there are 887 schools in the DEIS Programme serving over 185,000 pupils - 689 Primary and 198 Post Primary. My Department’s spend on DEIS in 2021 is over €150million, which...