Results 15,901-15,920 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On the point made by the Deputy in respect of the leaving certificate, the NCCA is carrying out a review of the senior cycle. It is my understanding that the NCCA has almost completed the review. It is being refined and will be presented to me and the Department. We will study the review. It will be the springboard for further discussion and, ultimately, decision-making with regard to the...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I will go as quickly as I can. I confirm to Deputy Flaherty that the DEIS identification model he referenced is currently being refined and worked through. There is significant investment in DEIS schools of more than €150 million every year. The Deputy articulated another very positive move yesterday in terms of DEIS schools and making specific funding available there, ensuring...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for his questions. If I do not get the opportunity to respond to all the issues he raised, we will certainly revert to him. Certainly, the Department can revert to Deputy Gannon. I will first address the issue of mask-wearing for primary school students. The Deputy will appreciate that right from the beginning, as I have said on numerous occasions, from September to...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On the point regarding the return to school, in this instance and since we reopened schools in September, we have abided by the advice of public health and NPHET. In this instance, it is their best advice that it should be a cautious and phased return to school, which I confirm again is largely due to the mobility of such a large number of people - 1.1 million. It was for that reason in the...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy is correct in saying we touched upon many of these issues yesterday at the committee and I thank him for that opportunity. Regarding resources for schools, in the interest of balance I must say the Government has shown incredible determination to resource education at a time, as the Deputy has correctly said, that is not normal; it is far from normal. It is definitely a Covid-19...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy raised the very important issue of well-being. I again confirm that this is a key priority for the Department. He will be aware that in the most recent budget, significant funding was made available for the provision of more than 110 guidance counsellors and 17 additional National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologists. That is a statement of intent from the...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The music exams will proceed. When we made our announcement we were clear that, to the greatest extent possible, oral and practical exams would be part of the written exams in June. There are three subject areas for which, on public health advice, will not be possible, namely, construction studies, engineering and physical education, PE. We have taken public health advice on all of this. ...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On the issue of music, as I have articulated, we have made clear that music practical exams will continue but we are mindful that music has particular requirements and differing approaches are taken to the exam. It could be an individual exam or a group or an ensemble exam, or whatever it might be, so specific public health advice is required. We have previously taken public health advice...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I am happy to be here to continue the discussions which some of the Deputies in the Chamber today and I had at the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science yesterday. I will share my time with the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan. The House will be aware of the significant announcements and developments in recent weeks about students...

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

Norma Foley: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. The tender process to establish a new Design & Build Contractors Framework commenced on the 4th December 2019. The second stage of the tender process which involves the detailed tender for several schools has commenced and is expected to be...

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

Norma Foley: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. My Department is currently in the process of establishing a Framework of Design and Build Contractors to which Design and Build projects can be tendered. The tender process to establish the new Framework commenced on the 4th December 2019. The second...

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

Norma Foley: The Government announced plans in April 2018 for the establishment of 42 new schools over the four year period 2019 to 2022, including a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2020 to serve the Citywest/Saggart (Tallaght & Newcastle_Rathcoole school planning areas) as a regional solution. This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my...

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

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has received an application for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation scheme (ASA), from the school in question. The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The second half of the NDP (from 2023 onwards) will see...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy, that an application for Major Capital Funding, has been received from the school in question. Applications from schools for major capital works must be considered in the context of the demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming years. Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector...

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

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that following enquiries to the school it was found they had mailed the application to the incorrect section within the Department. We have now made contact with the school and have asked them to email the documentation directly to the team who will assess their application.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 402, 419 and 505 together. The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. A number of GLPs due to take place in 2020 were postponed due to public...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: As you may be aware, Officials in The Department of Education are currently in advanced negotiation with a landowner, in regard the proposed acquisition of a site deemed suitable for the replacement Curragh post primary school to which you refer. The proposal also seeks to cater for expected demographic demand in the area. This negotiation is ongoing, in line with our comprehensive site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (3 Mar 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 South Kildare. 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 place to a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The public health restrictions which resulted in the closure of schools in March 2020 highlighted the absolute necessity for schools to be agile in providing for continuity of schooling in the future. As a contingency measure against the possibility of partial or full school closures, my Department has provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (3 Mar 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...