Results 17,561-17,580 of 19,741 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The building referred to by Deputy has not yet been handed over. My Department is taking appropriate steps to ensure that it is completely satisfied that the building is fit for handover prior to accepting it. There is currently an engagement underway between my Department and the Contractor in this regard under the contract. Communications are ongoing and the issue is being actively...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As was announced on 30 September, my Department engaged the services of Educational Testing Service (ETS), a US-based non-profit organisation which specialises in educational measurement, to review essential aspects of the coding underpinning the Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades model. This engagement was initiated following the discovery of errors in the coding. ETS submitted their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (3 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 the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources (teachers) provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources (teachers) provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. The purpose of the 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. The Department has been engaging intensively with Bus Éireann in regard...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Briefing (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The comprehensive briefing document to me on my appointment as Minister will be published on the Department's website shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the deputy that the extension project to which he refers includes a 2 classroom SEN base (ASD Unit). This project has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. The NDFA has started preparations for the appointment of a design team for the project. At this early stage, it is not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Education Shared Business Services (ESBS) section of my Department is in the process of rolling out Payroll Shared Services for all 16 ETBs. This project has been operational since June 2019, and seven ETBs have now transitioned their Payroll functions to my Department namely; DDLETB – June 2019; Cavan-Monaghan ETB – November 2019; Laois-Offaly ETB – November 2019;...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The building referred to by Deputy has not yet been handed over. My Department is taking appropriate steps to ensure that it is completely satisfied that the building is fit for handover prior to accepting it. There is currently an engagement underway between my Department and the Contractor in this regard under the contract. Communications are ongoing and the issue is being actively...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Tests (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’ It is important to note that the response to confirmed cases or outbreaks of COVID-19 in the community or in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question requested funding for Universal Access Works under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme on the 27th of October. This application is currently being assessed and the school authority will be informed directly once a decision has been made.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department maintains a record of all contracts awarded over the threshold value of €25,000, without a competitive process, during each year of account. This information is compiled in line with the requirements set out in Circular 40/02 and is exclusive of VAT. The information provided in tabular form attached provides the details of the contract, the company contracted and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 790 to 792, inclusive, together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is actively seeking alternative accommodation for the school to which the Deputy refers. Senior Department Officials met with Kildare Wicklow ETB (KWETB) and the school on Wednesday, 23rd September to discuss the schools current arrangements and the immediate and future accommodation requirements for the school. My Department has agreed to look at all potential options...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (3 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 (3 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers is currently in interim accommodation on the Grange Community College site pending delivery of its intended interim accommodation on its permanent site on Belmayne Avenue, Belmayne. Work has commenced on site and it is currently anticipated that the accommodation will be ready for occupation by the school in early December. In addition to the interim...