Results 17,341-17,360 of 19,741 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (12 Nov 2020)

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

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (12 Nov 2020)

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: Schools Building Projects (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: This PQ is for the Department of Further Education.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Supervision and Substitution Scheme (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Roadmap for the Full Return to School provides for comprehensive supports across a range of areas to allow for the safe reopening of schools. Among the supports provided is the extension of the Substitute Teacher Supply Panel. My Department has worked closely with our Partners on expanding teacher supply panels. The base schools were first identified in collaboration with the INTO...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (12 Nov 2020)

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 Enrolments (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: 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 (GIS). The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department's own school enrolment databases, to...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the committee for the opportunity to speak this morning. As the Chairman outlined, I am accompanied by the Minister of State, Deputy Josepha Madigan, who has responsibility for special education and inclusion, and officials from my Department. I am conscious that I have only five minutes to deliver my opening statement. I will, therefore, give a very brief overview of the Further...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: On the capital projects, almost €800 million is available. We envisage the delivery of more than 200 schools building projects of various sizes before the end of 2021. Some 145 projects are to begin mid-year, around July. That involves a substantial investment in the programme. Regarding the allocation of the additional days to principals and teaching principals, the news has...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. With regard to the provisions that have been made available to schools this year, we are talking of a package in excess of €437 million, which supports four to six hours of daily additional cleaning within the schools and the purchase of PPE and hand sanitisers. All of that is covered in the allocation and, indeed, there is a balance of €226 million which...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. In terms of the allocation for school transport, and acknowledging the capacity requirement that now exists, there was an agreement following a memo that was brought to Cabinet. I want to acknowledge the generosity in recognising the need to meet that public health demand and, all along the way, where there have been changes, we have been very flexible in a desire to...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I know school transport is a particularly significant issue in the Deputy's area and he has raised it on a number of occasions. I know that an additional €15 million is being provided just for the increasing number of children within the system anyway . As I said previously, almost €100 million has been made available in respect of the additional 50% capacity. The Deputy is...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: At every step of the way we were conscious of the measures that had to be put in place and, indeed, will continue to have to be put in place in respect of Covid-19. At no stage have we been reluctant when it comes to finances. Specifically on the issue the Deputy raised, I will ask for clarification on that and will ask the officials to directly reply to her on it.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: On the issue of pay equality, I want to reaffirm the Government's commitment to the body of work that needs to be done to address these outstanding matters. There is a commitment on that and it will be part of the next round of pay talks. On DEIS, this is an area of particular interest to the Deputy, which I acknowledge. As he has correctly acknowledged, there has been a reduction from...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Absolutely. There is incontrovertible evidence that students have been disadvantaged, obviously from an academic point of view but even more so from a socialisation point of view. All of the Irish and international studies are telling us that students are best served within the education environment. I agree with the Deputy's remark. The Government has recognised this by putting financial...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: It should be noted that there has been a 2.5% increase in capitation. While not wanting to be repetitive, it must be acknowledged that substantial additional funding has gone into schools this year in terms of things that would normally gone on in schools such as cleaning and so forth but also additional items such as hand sanitiser and so on. Significant resources have been provided and a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Indemnity Agreement of June 2002 involved 18 congregations, acting collectively, which agreed to provide a contribution of €128m towards the costs associated with redress for survivors of institutional abuse. Those 18 congregations are - Brothers of Charity - Christian Brothers - Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul - Daughters of the Heart of Mary - De La Salle Brothers -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The general principles to apply to the management of COVID-19 includes the safety and welfare of employees and the minimisation of the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning. The current COVID-19 arrangements in place for teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0049/2020. The Circular outlines that special leave with pay may be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that Level 5 restrictions do not apply to the Education sector and on this basis any prior commitment or agreement between a school authority and a third party should remain in place.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving a proposal from the school in question. However, the issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools on public roads, such as road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter, for the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside...