Results 3,261-3,280 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (21 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: It remains Governments' intention to operate the conventional 2021 Leaving Certificate examinations, with appropriate public health measures in place. This view is shared by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), which has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations Planning for these examinations is underway by the SEC and the Department. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 113,100 children, including over 14,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020. The purpose of my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department holds an archive of files relating to Industrial and Reformatory School which consists of circa 500,000 records. The records relate solely to children who were committed to these schools following a court hearing. Children were also admitted to the schools in other ways, i.e. voluntary placements, placement by parent/s or guardians or placement by local Health Authorities. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that Projects allocated funding under the 2020 Summer Works Scheme relate to applications submitted by schools under Category 2 (Roof Works) and Category 6 (Toilet Facilites), these works are intended to be carried out over Summer 2021. Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the Scheme, remaining applications are being assessed on a top down...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: School communities have worked incredibly hard to operate safely under Covid-19. The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. NPHET remain of the view that schools are low risk environments but recognise there is a need to reduce societal activity and movement to curb the spread of the virus at this time. Public Health has advised that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that career break is a sanctioned, approved leave and therefore, pension entitlements are protected for the duration of the career break. The Career Break Scheme for teachers is contained in Circular 0054/2019 titled ”Leave Schemes for Registered Teachers employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools."

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that career break is a sanctioned, approved leave and therefore, pension entitlements are protected for the duration of the career break. The Career BreakScheme for teachers is contained in Circular 0054/2019 titled ”Leave Schemes for Registered Teachers employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools."

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 448 together. My Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in the school planning areas referred to by the Deputy. Where capacity issues arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: - Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: The public health restrictions which resulted in the closure of schools in March 2020 highlighted the absolute necessity for schools to be agile in providing for continuity of schooling in the future. As a contingency measure against the possibility of partial or full school closures, my Department has provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 Jan 2021)

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: National Educational Psychological Service (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I have made enquiries in relation to the school referred to by the Deputy. While the assigned psychologist is on maternity leave, the school continues to have access to critical incident and advisory support from NEPS and pupil casework via the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA). A member of the local NEPS team undertakes the role of advisory psychologist to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by students, teachers and families as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic has brought significant challenges to the education system, and unique challenges to those preparing to sit State Examinations. Planning for the 2021 Leaving Certificate is underway by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and my Department. It is recognised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jan 2021)

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 (GIS). The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department's own school enrolment databases, to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your query in relation to the provision of school places in Kildare Town. My Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional primary and post primary school places in the school planning areas including referred to by the Deputy. Where capacity issues arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I am aware of the closure of this organisation following correspondence submitted to my Department. For over 20 years, my Department has provided funding to this community-based drug rehabilitation project. The grant allocation is approved on an annual basis, following an application from the organisation annually, with the conditions of funding set out in the annual allocation letter. These...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials in my Department have commenced the site identification process for the permanent location of the school referred to. As the overall site acquisition process is at an early stage, the school will be established in interim accommodation until the permanent facility is developed. The assessment of potential locations for interim accommodation has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by students, teachers and families as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic has brought significant challenges to the education system, and unique challenges to those preparing to sit State Examinations. Planning for the 2021 Leaving Certificate is underway by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and my Department. It is recognised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Jan 2021)

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. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and will provide for seven mainstream classrooms with en-suite WC, three SET rooms, two staff toilets and a WC for assisted users. My Department has reviewed the submitted...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: The payroll records for the teacher referred to by the Deputy have been checked by staff in my Payroll Division. According to the records there is no apparent retrospective pay outstanding. Any further queries may be emailed by the teacher concerned to the primary payroll email address: www.primtch_payroll@education.gov.ie.