Results 2,621-2,640 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The 2020 Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades appeals process has concluded and the appeal outcomes were made available to students at 12pm on Friday 16 October through the Calculated Grades Student Portal. In the processing of the appeals, a total of 33,301 individual subject records belonging to 12,216 students were reviewed. This number excludes students who initially entered for an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The terms and conditions of the Sick Leave Scheme for teachers is contained in my Department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019. In line with the Sick Leave Scheme, absences are recorded by the individual employer on my Department’s On Line Claims System (OLCS) which is part of the payroll system. The attached table details the total number of Sick Leave days currently recorded on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The current COVID-19 arrangements in place for teachers are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0049/2020. The Circular outlines that special leave with pay may be granted to a teacher who has been (a) diagnosed with COVID-19 or (b) has COVID-19 symptoms and has been advised by the HSE/GP to self-isolate whilst awaiting their test appointment and test results. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: In accordance with the requirements of the Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2019 - 2023 the school principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school and is accountable for that management to the school’s Board of Management. One of the important management functions of the principal is the maintenance of records in relation to pupil attendance in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is acutely aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and which led the decision not to run the state examinations this summer. In the context of the return to schools of students for the 2020/21 academic year my Department published a range of documentation and support material as part of the Roadmap for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: It is the responsibility of my Department to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. Parents/guardians can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to draft, publish and implement a school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 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. Major new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 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 Enrolments (24 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. Major new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Access to RSE is an important right for students. Schools have a responsibility to provide for this vital aspect of education to young people. Importantly, a school’s RSE programme should be planned in consultation with parents. The NCCA conducted a thorough and transparent review, and published its report, “Report on the Review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Maternity Leave (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 533 and 534 together. My Department has an enhanced Occupational Health Service (OHS) in place to provide employers with occupational health advice in relation to employees’ fitness for work. Medmark, the current OHS provider has a process in place for school staff with health concerns about their risk of serious illness from contracting COVID-19,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, the main purpose of the Retention of Records Bill 2019 was to ensure the preservation of the records gathered by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA) and the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB), which would, otherwise, in accordance with the relevant legislation, be required to be destroyed upon the winding up of those bodies. While the Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including applications for assistive technology. SENOs then make recommendations to my Department. Therefore, I have referred the query in relation to this application to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Electric Vehicles (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: It is proposed to include for the new Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) guidance in the 2nd Edition TGD 033 School Building Projects and Compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations 2017. The TGD will include a section for school Boards of Management on what is involved in managing electric charging points and cost recovery, etc. The system provision will be based on EVC for school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Policy (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together. While the provision of child and adolescent mental health services lies within the remit of the Department of Health, and the HSE specifically, my Department has an important role to play in supporting the wellbeing and mental health of our young people. My Department’s Wellbeing Policy and Framework for practice has given...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together. While my Department is not responsible for holding the data requested by the Deputy, it does have an important role to play in supporting the wellbeing of all in the school community. My Department’s Wellbeing Policy and Framework for practice has given recognition to the importance of promoting wellbeing in education. It...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 105, inclusive, together. There are a number of support services provided by my Department to all members of the school community to support wellbeing and mental health. Firstly, I will outline the role of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department. NEPS provides a comprehensive, school-based psychological service to all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 107 together. There are a number of ways in which teachers are supported to deal with matters relating to wellbeing and mental health. Firstly, I will outline the role of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides a comprehensive, school-based psychological...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As I outlined in the reply of 17 November the Survivor Led Consultation Group is now meeting on a regular basis using virtual technology. A date for the conclusion of the process has not yet been established.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Functions (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Residential Institutions Redress Unit manages the Department’s response to initiatives for the redress of child abuse in residential institutions. The unit also co-ordinates the reports to Europe on the implementation of the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the Louise O’Keeffe case. The unit has a staffing compliment of twelve full-time equivalent staff headed by...