Results 2,761-2,780 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Dec 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: Public Sector Pay (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. The starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702. As a result of the programme of pay restoration, the starting salary of a teacher is now €37,692. Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 provides that “the Minister [for Public...

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

Norma Foley: From Monday 9 November, Ireland has implemented the EU co-ordinated traffic light approach for those travelling into Ireland. In general this requires those returning to or entering Ireland from orange or red list countries to restrict their movements for 14 days, and this includes school staff, parents and students and students coming from abroad to attend school in Ireland. Restricting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Health and Safety (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: Practical steps for the deployment of good ventilation practices was provided to the school system in August in the context of re-opening for September 2020. This guidance has recently been reviewed and was circulated to the education partners. The updated guidance has now been published. In terms of good ventilation practices in schools it is important, particularly as we get...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: A new post-primary school (Galway City ETSS) was established in September 2019 in order to meet demographic needs of two adjoining school planning areas, namely Galway City and Oranmore. This school is currently operating in interim accommodation while my Department is sourcing a permanent accommodation solution. Work is ongoing in this regard. My Department is engaged in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has no plans to set up universal application processes for post primary schools referred to by the Deputy. However in certain areas schools have independently established a shared application process. The question of enrolment in individual schools, are the responsibility of the school authorities and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2019/2020 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 over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (1 Dec 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. Laragh,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Data (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education has no role in the International Baccalaureate and therefore my Department is not in a position to supply the information requested by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Data (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) 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 Data (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) 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 (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) 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: Departmental Budgets (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: A summary of the Department of Education's funding allocation for 2021 is set out in Chapter 8 (pages 79 to 82) of the that was published on 13 October 2020 as part of 2021 Budget day documentation. This sets out the main areas identified for funding in 2021. The full details on the 2021 allocations for each Departmental Vote will be set out, as usual, in the Revised Estimates Volume (REV)...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391 and 390 together. The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources (teachers) provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: 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 preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools catering for junior...

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

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to providing permanent accommodation to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of potential site options have been identified and officials from my Department are currently appraising same. Once a preferred site option has been identified, negotiations with the landowner in respect of the proposed acquisition of this site will commence....

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

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the building project for the school to which he refers has now been devolved for delivery to Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB). The Service Level Agreement (SLA) has been issued to WWETB. The next step is for WWETB to procure a Design Team for the project to design the buildings, obtain the necessary statutory planning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Dec 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 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: Compensation Schemes (1 Dec 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 399 and 401 together. 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...