Results 3,401-3,420 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The major construction project at the school referred to by the Deputy is progressing satisfactorily on site and subject to no issues arising it is anticipated that substantial completion will be achieved in the second quarter of 2021. The contractor is operating under the requirements of the Return to Work Safely Protocol which came into effect on the 18thof May 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 424 to 426, inclusive, together. The interim move of Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School (ETSS) from its existing temporary location to the Louth Meath Education Training Board (LMETB) owned site at Rathmullen Road, Drogheda (same location as St. Oliver’s Community College), is to facilitate Drogheda ETSS ultimately growing to a 1,000-pupil...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: During the current period of school closure, schools are required to put in place their plan of action to enable continuity of learning for all pupils. This involves all teachers who are medically fit to work, including SETs, providing remote teaching and learning to all pupils in their class or on their caseload. It is crucially important that the learning of all pupils/students,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question for consideration under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme. The application is being considered by my officials and once a decision has been reached the school authorities will be contacted directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently engaging with the school to which he refers in relation to the school's accommodation needs, including the provision of permanent accommodation as quickly as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is at the forefront of design with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both National and International level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification. Schools that are designed and built in accordance with the Departments Schools technical guidance documents must achieve an A3 Building...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application, from the school in question, for major capital works comprising of a new school building. Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 434 to 437, inclusive, together. The interim move of Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School (ETSS) from its existing temporary location to the Louth Meath Education Training Board (LMETB) owned site at Rathmullen Road, Drogheda (same location as St. Oliver's Community College), is to facilitate Drogheda ETSS ultimately growing to a 1,000-pupil school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that when the accommodation for the school in question was being planned in late 2018/early 2019 it was intended to provide a level of interim accommodation for the school based on a limited enrolment intake of 48 pupils each year (2 class intake) as it was envisaged that a permanent site would be secured in the short-term. As the Deputy is aware to date it has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill was published on 10 September 2019 and has been passed by the Seanad. The Bill is currently awaiting an order for second stage in the Dáil. The overall aim of the legislation is to improve the level of engagement between schools and students and their parents by inviting feedback, comment and observations from students and parents and by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (10 Feb 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 I am acutely aware of the impacts that this has had on those students preparing to sit their final examinations. It is recognised that a flexible and agile approach is necessary in light of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (10 Feb 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 I am acutely aware of the impacts that this has had on those students preparing to sit their final examinations. It is recognised that a flexible and agile approach is necessary in light of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question should contact their Insurance Provider in the first instance to ascertain what damages are covered under their Policy. If the damages are not covered under their Insurance Policy they should submit an application for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme that is available via the schools Esinet portal.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (10 Feb 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: DEIS Scheme (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is in the final stages of refinement of the new DEIS identification model, based on school enrolment data and the latest data available from Census 2016 using the HP Deprivation Index. A detailed quality analysis of the data has been carried out by members of the DEIS Technical Group which contains representatives of the Department’s Statistics and Social Inclusion Units,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: 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. My Department has agreed a plan with the relevant education stakeholders for the phased return to in-person...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to providing permanent accommodation to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. In this regard, officials in my Department are in active engagement with officials from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to further appraise two potential site options in terms of technical suitability. Once the final preferred site option has been identified,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that the payment in question has been processed and the funds will be paid directly to the school's bank account within seven working days.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers is devolved for delivery to the Cork Education and Training Board (CETB). Under this arrangement, it will be a matter for the CETB to appoint a Design Team for the design and construction phases of the project. Following a request from the CETB for a review of the long term projected enrolments, my Department is revising the schedule of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The planning work underway in respect of the Leaving Certificate Examinations in 2021 is being assisted by an Advisory Group of key stakeholders which has met on a number of occasions in recent months. The Advisory Group has been convened to advise Government on all of the various issues arising in relation to the holding of the 2021 examinations, including public health considerations and...