Results 2,301-2,320 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: A permanent site option for the new 16 classroom for the school to which the Deputy refers has been identified and it is in the school planning area. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time. The process for the provision of permanent accommodation for the school can be advanced when the acquisition...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included on my Department's school building programme and a site has been acquired. My Department is engaging directly with the school authority in relation to the school's long-term accommodation requirement. Information has been requested from the school authority and as soon as this is received the project will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (10 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: DEIS Scheme (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 424, 433 and 440 together. I am pleased to advise the Deputies that under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1. While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: DEIS - Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, is my Department’s main policy initiative aimed at tackling educational disadvantage in primary and post primary schools. In the 2020/21 school year there are 887 schools, including 229 DEIS Band 1 Urban primary schools, participating in the DEIS programme serving in the region of 185,000 students. My Department will invest in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 426 and 434 together. Under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1. While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (10 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: School Staff (10 Nov 2020)

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 year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 Nov 2020)

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 year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question. My Department's capital investment programme provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms for existing schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified. All school capital projects that have been approved, by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Teaching posts are allocated based on confirmed enrolments from the previous September and the staffing schedule includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. This year the Department and the Primary Staffing Appeals Board are very cognisant of the impact of COVID-19 on schools and in that context has looked...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (10 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, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, is my Department’s main policy initiative aimed at tackling educational disadvantage in primary and post primary schools. In the 2020/21 school year there are 887 schools participating in the DEIS programme serving over 185,000 students. My Department will invest in the region of €125 million this year on the DEIS...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 436 and 437 together. 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 due to be completed in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (10 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: State Examinations (10 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: Education Policy (10 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, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. There are two school planning areas most relevant to the Deputy’s query:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (10 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, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. Meakstown is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. The patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been in operation under my Department since 2018 and provides objective information to parents in the relevant school planning areas to assist them in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 444, 445 and 446 together. Teaching posts are allocated based on confirmed enrolments from the previous September and the staffing schedule includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. This year my Department and the Primary Staffing Appeals Board were very cognisant of the...