Results 18,041-18,060 of 19,741 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Oct 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’. This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding...

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

Norma Foley: The Calculated Grades Student Portal reopened on 14 September to enable students to view their estimated percentage marks and calculated marks and allow them to consider this data if they were considering an appeal of their Calculated Grade. The appeals process is a process review focussed on looking for errors in the transmission and processing of student data through the...

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

Norma Foley: The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the state from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations. I, and/or my Department, have been named on a total of six judicial reviews. Of these, two have had their judgement delivered but are under appeal. One further judicial review was withdrawn by the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The annual staffing schedule determines the allocation of teachers to primary schools.  For the current school year, it operates on a general average of 26 pupils to every 1 teacher (26:1) which is historically the lowest ever allocation ratio at primary level.  Each one point adjustment to the primary staffing schedule would cost approximately €14.5m annually.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of vital role 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.   In recognition of this, I have put special arrangements in place for the coming school year whereby schools will be funded to employ a replacement secretary or caretaker in the...

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

Norma Foley: The tender process for the school building project referred to by the Deputy is running as part of a wider process involving the tender of 8 major building projects. The first phase of the tender process to create a shortlist of contractors is complete.  The second phase of the tender process is ongoing and is expected to be completed in the coming months, with a construction...

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

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested.  However, the information is being collated by officials in my Department and will be made available to the Deputy in due course.

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

Norma Foley: The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the state from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations. The design of the Calculated Grades model was informed by advice from a Technical Working Group comprising experts drawn from the State Examinations Commission, the Inspectorate of the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has published guidance to support schools in making adapted education provision for pupils/students with an underlying medical condition who cannot return to school because they are medically certified as being at very high risk to COVID-19. The guidance for primary schools on supporting such pupils is available via the following link: The guidance for post-primary schools on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that the mechanism for applying for playground equipment is my Department's Summer Works Scheme. The school should apply for this when the scheme next opens for applications. In the meantime, I can advise the Deputy that the Minor Works Grant can be used to provide the equipment in question. In regards to the CLÁR Programme, I can...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Tests (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together. 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’: This guidance provides that the HSE Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 Oct 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: School Facilities (30 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The specific information requested by the Deputy regarding the number of primary and post-primary school that have access to or have recently gained access to hot water is not readily available within my Department. The Deputy might wish to note health guidance which states that, while warm running water is preferable for handwashing, cold water is sufficient.  In schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The level of staffing in individual schools is determined by Department circulars.  In primary schools, staffing is allocated in accordance with the published staffing schedule for the 2020/21 school year. Primary schools are currently provided with class teachers on the basis of one teacher for every 26 pupils which is at its historically lowest level.   My Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The use of reusable plastic lunch boxes was not prohibited under guidelines issued previously by the DCCAE. It is the use of single-use plastic cups and straws and other single-use plastic items that was prohibited. These guidelines on the elimination of single-use plastics in the interest of environmental sustainability have not been changed. However, these guidelines were issued prior to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Sep 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...