Results 281-300 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: The Boards of Management of schools are responsible for the employment of school secretaries and it is a matter for each school to determine the level of secretarial services required for the school.  Funding to cater for these services is made available from the Ancillary Services and Capitation Grants On Friday 12th June my Department published the report to Government...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: On 12 June, my Department published the report to Government “Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business” www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Announcements/framework-f or-reopening-and-operating-schools.html. The report sets out the clear ambition to develop a sustainable plan to fully reopen schools at the start of the next school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Educationincluding a programme for children with complex special educational needs. The programme is a significant expansion on the July Provision programme of previous years with the eligibility criteria widened to include approximately 9,000 additional primary aged children with complex needs. Approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: Following the school closure in March 2020, my Department published a range of guidance to assist schools and teachers in ensuring continuity of teaching and learning for students as well as supporting their wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.  This guidance aimed, inter alia, to ensure regular engagement of students in lessons, tasks and learning experiences across the range of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was established in 2018 and is currently in interim accommodation on the Firhouse Education Campus.  Due to additional accommodation requirements in the Gaelscoil in which they are currently located my Department has been informed that it is not possible for the secondary school to continue to operate in that building.  My Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Jun 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 €36,953 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692. Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. The purpose of my 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. In the current school year over 120,000 children, including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is conscious of the issues in the English language education sector arising from the Covid-19 outbreak and has established a specific Working Group for this sector. This group is comprised of representatives of relevant Government Departments and representatives of both students and English language education providers. As part of this process, the representative bodies for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education including a programme for children with complex special educational needs. The programme is a significant expansion on the July Provision programme of previous years with the eligibility criteria widened to include approximately 9,000 additional primary aged children with complex needs. All special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: This Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €16.9 million in 2019 to all of these schools.  Additional funding of €1million which is being allocated to 102 Primary DEIS...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: 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 provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. There is no change to the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in special schools, in accordance with the policies of my Department. Staffing arrangements for special schools are in line with policy advice provided by the NCSE in 2013, which did not recommend alteration...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter and acknowledge the unity they have presented here. Firhouse Educate Together secondary school opened in September 2018 in vacant classrooms in the permanent school building of Firhouse Educate Together primary school on an education campus shared with the permanent 16-classroom school for Gaelscoil na Giúise. In September 2019, the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I have listened to the Deputies and heard what they have said. I appreciate there is unanimity among the Deputies from the area on this issue. The Deputies have raised points from the perspectives of parents and children and I have heard what they have said. All I can say at this point is that my officials in the Department will continue to have ongoing communication with the patron bodies...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Before I address the specific issue, I would like to provide the Members of the House with an outline on the extent of the school transport service. School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2019-2020 school year, more than 120,000 children, including 14,200 children with...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I appreciate that the Deputy acknowledges the existence of the grant option and indeed the merits of this programme of which I am very supportive. I am not aware of the specifics of the three cases the Deputy mentioned. Perhaps he might make them available to my Department and my officials will take a look.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I am aware of the challenges that are being encountered in the English language education sector and the substantial impact that the Covid-19 outbreak has had on its students, teachers and providers. As part of the response to the pandemic, my Department established a specific Working Group for this sector. This group is comprised of representatives of relevant Government Departments and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 475 together. Covid-19 has presented an unprecedented global challenge for all of society, including our children. Learning has been challenging for many students since school buildings closed. In response my Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education including a programme for children with complex...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included on the Department's Capital Programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). My Department is currently finalising the project brief with the aim of progressing the project into the architectural planning process shortly. In that regard, my Department will also be in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that an application for funding for roof works under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme has been approved for the school in question. As this is a devolved project it is a matter for the school authority to progress the works.