Results 2,421-2,440 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and HSE has published guidance in relation to the return to school for at risk groups. The advice confirms that for the vast majority of children, including those who are high risk, can return to school and it is important for the overall health and wellbeing for children to attend school. This is consistent with public health advice internationally....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (17 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The project is currently at Stage 1 of architectural planning which entails preliminary site surveys, location suitability and initial sketch scheme. A review in 2019 of the demand for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that the Department is currently finalising a site identification & deliverability exercise in order to technically appraise suitable sites within the relevant school planning areas, for the post primary school to which you refer. This exercise has been progressed during the past months, in line with restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic, nevertheless, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Court of Justice Rulings (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As you are aware, the ex gratia scheme was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from and in response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) relating to Louise O'Keeffe.  The Department undertook a review of the scheme in response to a determination by the Independent Assessor, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill that one of the criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable operation of schools. Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice. Guidance does not recommend fogging as a solution for schools.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The role of the school is to provide an appropriate education for all its pupils.  A stable, secure learning environment is an essential requirement to achieve this goal.  Schools have autonomy in choosing the resources and programmes that best support the work within their own classrooms.  The Yellow Flag programme aims to support primary and secondary schools to become...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 469 and 470 together. I am pleased to advise the Deputy 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: Special Educational Needs (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Covid-19 has had a major impact on our daily lives and we have all had to adjust and adapt in the face of significant challenges in the course of 2020.  From the outset of this pandemic the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has continued to deliver a psychological service to schools within the context of public health advice. In addition, NEPS has remained proactive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has published guidance for schools in line with public health advice in relation to the practical steps for the Deployment of good ventilation practices in schools. . The guidance sets out for schools good ventilation practices by considering if room ventilation especially in classrooms can be improved without causing discomfort. Where possible the opening of doors and windows...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Inspections (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Since the beginning of September 2020, the Inspectorate has engaged with 2653 schools and centres of education in total for the purposes of advising and supporting schools in a range of areas, including the implementation of public health advice. These engagements included 2539 Inspectorate-led advisory sessions with school principals and 114 school visits to support the safe provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 475 and 476 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998.  In schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process may be necessary. The selection process used by schools and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2021 (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that no additional ring-fenced funding has been provided to my Department towards domestic violence services in Budget 2021. However, I can inform the Deputy that my Department is continuing to implement relevant actions from the Second National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence, launched in January 2016. The strategy is a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The project is currently at Stage 1 of architectural planning which entails preliminary site surveys, location suitability and initial sketch scheme. A review in 2019 of the demand...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The implementation of the COVID-19 Response Plan by a school is the means through which schools can best prevent the introduction and spread of COVID-19 and demonstrate that they are operating in accordance with the requirements of the Roadmap for the Full Return to School, the Public Health advice from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and the Return to Work Safely Protocol...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers opened in September 2019 to serve the Drogheda and Laytown school planning areas.  It is currently located in interim temporary accommodation at Colpe/Mill Road Drogheda pending delivery of its permanent accommodation.  The school opened in 2019 with a two class intake (up to 48 pupils) as it was located then in a building in Laytown. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b) Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Stage 2(b) Report has been submitted and is currently under review within my Department. In order to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that the Department is currently finalising a site identification & deliverability exercise in order to technically appraise suitable sites within the relevant school planning areas, for the post primary school to which you refer. This exercise has been progressed during the past months, in line with restrictions in place due to the covid-19 pandemic, nevertheless, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The project is currently at Stage 1 of architectural planning which entails preliminary site surveys, location suitability and initial sketch scheme. A review in 2019 of the demand...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (17 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...