Results 16,861-16,880 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: The minor works grant has been paid twice this year into schools. It was paid in August and will be paid again in December. It gives schools the autonomy to do what needs to be done or whatever they might specifically identify within the school that requires work. This can be a very wide capacity of work. It can be limited to one area or can be finance that is disbursed into a variety of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: Regarding the minor works grants, we are talking about an allocation of €75 million in August and €15 million now in December. A school with 1,000 pupils, for example, would have received €110,000 in the first tranche last August. There is substantial funding going into schools. As I stated, more funding is to come in December. However, I will take the details of the...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: From Monday, 9 November, Ireland has implemented the EU co-ordinated traffic lights approach for those travelling into Ireland. In general this requires those returning to or entering Ireland from orange or red list countries to restrict their movements for 14 days. This includes school staff, parents and students, including students coming from abroad to attend school in Ireland....

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: I cannot speak to the specific case the Deputy has raised because I am not familiar with it. In general, schools have a duty of care to their students and staff, as I have outlined. If there is a view that this duty of care is being impeded by the return of a student who has travelled abroad and is not observing whatever restrictions have been deemed necessary at that time, the school can...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I appreciate the sincerity with which he makes this point. I reiterate that if a school has any suspicion that its duty of care is impeded by the actions of anyone within the school community it has an absolute right to refuse access. I have every confidence that those measures will be implemented appropriately by schools.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. As he is aware, the management of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in schools is led by the HSE's departments of public health. The Department of Education and Skills does not provide guidance of a clinical or medical nature. The contact tracing teams are led by public health professionals. The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre, HPSC, has published a definition of a...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Schools Administration (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the huge workload placed on the shoulders of school leaders and school communities. I recognise the importance of these additional days and how beneficial they have been. Now they have been given, we can see the excellent use to which they were put and how necessary a provision they were. The Department showed considerable foresight in putting them in place. I in no way...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Schools Administration (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy's points. In the context of Covid-19, a series of webinars was put on on the specific demands placed on principals and school leaders. Webinars were also available to the school community, including parents with children returning to school. They will continue in the context of Covid-19.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Equipment (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: Practical steps for the deployment of good ventilation practices were provided to the school system in August, in the context of reopening for September 2020. Contrary to what the Deputy said, this guidance has recently been reviewed and was circulated to the education partners. The updated guidance has now been published. As regards good ventilation practices in schools, it is...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Equipment (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy's point. In the interest of balance and proper context, no building has been built for a Covid-19 environment. This issue is not unique to what is happening in the school environment. It is happening in every building of which we are aware. I again emphasise that air monitors do not increase the air temperature in a room. They merely monitor when one should open...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Equipment (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: To go back to the air monitors, I am very confident of the practicality that exists in every classroom and I am confident about how ventilation is being operated by the school community. I reiterate that this issue is being dealt with by many bodies and many buildings have to cope with similar situations at present. As the Deputy will be aware, the capitation grant increased by 2.5% in...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Schools Administration (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge the huge contribution made by all school leaders, particularly during this academic year as they continue to work to ensure schools can operate safely. The Roadmap for the Full Return to School provides for comprehensive supports across a range of areas to allow for the safe and sustainable operation of schools. This package of supports totals some €557 million for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Traveller Education (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to “continue with, and expand, the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education and develop a National Traveller Education Strategy, including a plan to improve access to Higher Education for members of the Traveller Community”. I recently met with my colleague Minister Harris and we have a joint objective to improve...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that the 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 County Wexford. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Standards (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, the reopening of schools has been one of the top priorities for Government. This was motivated by a desire to deliver the best education for students. Schools and their staff have been working tirelessly to deliver this education under challenging circumstances. My Department’s Inspectorate has been supporting and advising on the work of schools since...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: There are currently 3 projects under the Additional Accommodation Scheme on site in Monaghan with an overall projected expenditure €1.5 million. These projects are due for completion in 2020/2021. There are also a further 17 approved projects which have been devolved for delivery to the school authority/ETB in question. It is a matter for those school authorities to advance those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department undertakes forward planning activity on an on-going basis to identify future school requirements. My Department engages with the local authority statutory planning process, conducts its own demographic analysis, engages with local patrons and uses the combined information to project school place requirements . In regard to the statutory planning process, the Core Strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: On 3 October I announced that I had asked that a comprehensive independent review of the design and implementation of the Calculated Grades process should take place. I want this review to consider key aspects of the Calculated Grades process, including the initial decision to adopt the model, whether the process met its objectives, how effective the process was, how the process worked...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (1 Dec 2020)

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 the school planning area referred to by the Deputy. 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 –...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: The building project for St Teresa's Special School is included in my Department's capital programme. Officials in my Department continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable permanent site for the school in question. As the Deputy may be aware, a potential preferred site option has been identified and negotiations...