Results 2,641-2,660 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I expect to be in a position to publish the General Scheme of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (Dissolution) Bill, which will provide for the dissolution of Caranua, shortly. Caranua's records that are considered to be of archival value will be preserved.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is engaging on an ongoing basis with the Board and staff of Caranua to ensure that all issues relating to its wind-down and dissolution are addressed appropriately. As Caranua expects to have made its final funding support payments in December , these issues will not impact on survivors or on the Fund.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Caranua expects that all applications will be finalised in the coming weeks and that all payments will be made from the Statutory Fund

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: 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, through workplace attendance. A detailed on-line...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 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: Road Projects (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that planning permission has been secured for the construction of the required road network. My Department and its Project Managers are engaging with a third party contractor regarding the road network which will have to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Procurement is primarily focused on the sustainable delivery of public services and in ensuring value for money. My Department is represented on the Social Considerations Advisory Group and the Strategic Procurement Advisory Group to progress the factoring in of social considerations into procurement processes. Centralised procurement arrangements, provided by the Office of Government...

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

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding was approved under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2016 to enable the school in question to build two general classrooms, one Science Lab with prep area, and one Construction room. In 2019 further approval for nine standard WCs, one WC for assisted users & 1 Socialisation Area was granted. This project has been devolved for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 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 Accommodation (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers opened in 2020 in interim accommodation. With regard to the current interim accommodation arrangements, the school has had to make some modifications to its subject offering for this term. While it was not feasible to make full provision for specialist subjects at the school's current location, Department officials continue to work closely with...

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, a potential permanent site option has been identified and discussions are ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site. I can assure the Deputy that the acquisition of a suitable site for the school in question is very active on the programme of site acquisitions and every effort is being made to secure the suitable site for the school as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government commits to achieving a target of at least 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030 to improve parental choice. The Department anticipates that further multi-denominational provision will arise with the opening of new schools to cater for areas of demographic growth by 2030. New schools are established in areas of strong demographic growth. While there is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area. Parents...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. This includes the operation of the scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in 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: Covid-19 Pandemic (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department’s responsibilities include recognised primary or post-primary schools and include centres for education as defined in the Education Act, 1998. My remit does not extend to private organisations, groups or bodies that are not recognised as schools or centres of education by the Education Act or in relation to the provision of higher or further education which is the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Access to Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is an important right for students. Schools have a responsibility to provide for this vital aspect of education to young people. The Programme for Government states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools. Work...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: In the case of all new schools, it is general practice to include a Special Education Needs Base (SEN Base) in the accommodation brief for new school buildings, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required. Typically, a two classroom SEN Base is provided in new primary schools and a two or four classroom SEN Base is provided in new post primary schools. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: 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, through workplace attendance. A detailed on-line...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The school to which Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process and a preferred bidder has been identified. Subject to no issues arising during the balance of the tender process, it is anticipated that work will commence on site in Quarter 1 of 2021, with a construction period of approximately 6 months.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Water Services (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware the provision of water does not lie within the remit of my Department; however, the Emergency Works Team is prepared to consider any reasonable alternative to a water tank that the school in question may suggest.