Results 16,221-16,240 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2021. This project will provide for a two classroom SEN base and has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. This project was approved in January 2021 and is in the early design stage. It is not possible to provide a timeline for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (11 Feb 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 inform me that the application of the person referred to by the Deputy is registered with effect from 8 February 2021. Should the individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (11 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is in the final stages of refinement of the new DEIS identification model, based on school enrolment data and the latest data available from Census 2016 using the HP Deprivation Index. A detailed analysis of the data has been carried out by members of the DEIS Technical Group which contains representatives of the Department’s Statistics and Social Inclusion Units, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (11 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together. The planning work underway in respect of the State Examinations in 2021 is being assisted by an Advisory Group of key stakeholders which has met on a number of occasions in recent months. The Advisory Group on Planning for State Examinations 2021 has been convened to advise Government on all of the various issues arising in relation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The majority of CPD for guidance counsellors is provided by the Supervision of Guidance Counsellors programme administered by Monaghan Education Support Centre and the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. Funding provided for CPD for guidance counsellors since 2018 is as follows: 2018 €0.138m 2019 €0.216m 2020 €0.186m The provisional budget for 2021 is €0.189m Due...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of the vital role contributed by school secretaries within school communities and I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools. I have met with Fórsa, who represent many of the secretaries working in schools. In recognition of their role, I have put special arrangements in place for this school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware and has been recently advised, work is progressing and is ongoing in respect of technical matters crucial to the delivery of the acquisition. My Department is continuing to actively engage regularly with Kildare Co. Co. and the Landowner, who is currently presenting a masterplan of the site as a whole. It remains a priority for my Department to make progress on this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Is tosaíocht do mo Roinn agus don Rialtas seo oideachas Gaeilge a sholáthar, agus tá tiomantas láidir i bpáirt againn i leith líon na n-áiteanna Gaeilge atá ar fáil a mhéadú. Bhí teagmháil shuntasach ag mo Roinn leis an bhForas Pátrúnachta maidir lena moladh go mbeadh campas i gContae Lú freisin ag...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: 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. My Department has had significant engagement with An Foras Pátrúnachta in relation to its proposal for a Gaelcholáiste under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta to also have a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The current status of the projects referred to by the Deputy is as follows: Holy Family Community School (RN 91301D) This major building project is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning – Stage 2b (Detailed Design) which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. A revised Stage 2(b) report has been reviewed by my Department....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The current status of the projects referred to by the Deputy is as follows: Scoil Chronáin (RN 19530H) The permanent school building project for Scoil Chronáin has been assigned to my Department’s Design & Build delivery programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process, for the construction of a 16 classroom school plus a 2 classroom ASD Unit, with a preferred bidder identified. Subject to no issues arising during the balance of the tender process, it is anticipated that construction will commence in quarter 2 of 2021 and the work will take approximately 20 months to complete.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Schooling (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable schools to facilitate the continuity of learning. My Department has also provided a number of supports and materials to assist parents which are available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool. On 12th January 2021 I wrote to all parents of pupils and students providing details of remote learning,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has every confidence that, through the implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle the place of Geography will be retained and given a new impetus across the Junior Cycle curriculum. As part of the rollout of the new Framework for Junior Cycle, Geography was one of five new subject specifications that were introduced to schools in September 2018. The new Junior Cycle...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I understand that the issue raised in the correspondence referred to by the Deputy relates to the requirements for school placement for a student on a post-primary initial teacher education programme. The requirements for school placement are set out in the Teaching Council’s policy Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and the Guidelines on School Placement. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The abuse of children in any setting is a heinous crime and every effort should be made to bring the perpetrator to justice through the courts system. All reports of abuse should be reported to the Gardaí who will investigate each reported abuse. There is no time limit on the investigation of cases of historical abuse. For people who were abused in childhood, there is a National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (10 Feb 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. Teachers whose applications meet all the necessary requirements are registered by the Teaching Council under Section 31 of the Teaching Council Act and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Broadband Plan (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the current primary schools programme, my Department continually reviews the availability of services and upgrades schools where the opportunity arises, in line with contractual and budgetary requirements. A framework of providers of Broadband Services was put in place in 2017 which has ensured improved solutions are available to primary schools. The Schools Broadband Service Desk...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, a building project to provide improved accommodation for the schools in question is included on the Department's school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). The accommodation brief for the project is being developed and my Department will continue to liaise with the schools in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (10 Feb 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 113,100 children, including over 14,500 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...