Results 3,421-3,440 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

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: Emergency Works Scheme (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I would lke to inform the Deputy that nineteen Emergency Works applications have been received from schools located in Laois and Offaly since the 1st of January 2020 to date. Information on approved Emergency Works applications is available on my Department's website; this information is updated weekly.

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. The school projects in Bundle 2 - ‘Project Boyne’ are listed in the table. The NDFA is currently undertaking the second phase of the process of appointment of multi-disciplinary technical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that there are no school buildings leased or rented in Dublin 8, 10 and 12 by my Department. The following schools are owned by my Department in these Dublin areas: St. Brigid’s Primary School, The Coombe, Dublin 8 and Gaelscoil Inse Chór, Droichead na hInse, Dublin 8.

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

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). Detailed consideration is being given to the accommodation needs of this school and how to best meet them.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (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: 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Infrastructure (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The policy of my Department is to offer the best quality connectivity to all schools in line with the technical solutions available in the market and within financial constraints. Currently investment of some €13m is allocated annually for the provision of internet connectivity to schools. Broadband capacity can vary across geographical locations and is dependent on local...

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

Norma Foley: The Government published the Roadmap for the Full Return to School, along with details of a financial package of over €375 million to support the implementation of the measures in the roadmap, following approval by Government. The roadmap and the funding package recognise the challenges faced by schools in ensuring the safe return of over one million students and approximately 100,000...

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, for additional school accommodation, from the school authority in question. Officials from my Department have recently corresponded with the school Patron in relation to their application and on receipt of their response the application can be progressed.

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

Norma Foley: The school building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. A tender process is ongoing for the establishment of a new framework of contractors for delivery of a bundle of design and build projects which is expected to be completed in Quarter 1 of 2021. It is expected that in Quarter 2 of 2021, this school building project...

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

Norma Foley: 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. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. Primary schools are currently provided with...

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

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) conducted a thorough and transparent review, and published its report, “Report...

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

Norma Foley: I will arrange for a reply to issue direct to the Deputy with regard to the matters raised by him regarding the individual referred to.

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

Norma Foley: The planning work underway in respect of the State 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 on Planning for State Examinations 2021 has been convened to advise Government on all of the various issues arising in relation to the holding of the 2021 examinations, including public...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Citizens' Assembly (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government - Our Shared Future includes a commitment for a Citizens’ Assembly on the future of education. Experience internationally and here at home of citizen’s assemblies as exercises in deliberative democracy have been extremely positive. Initial proposals to hold a citizens' assembly on education have been informed by proposals from the Burren College...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 483 and 484 together. All schools are required to have in place a school COVID-19 Response Plan which contains the key measures for infection prevention control in schools. Public Health have re-iterated that these measures are effective in minimising the risk of transmission of Covid-19 in schools and that there is currently no change required to these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) continues to accept applications by schools for exception reviews of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations and each application will continue to be assessed on a case by case basis. A core recommendation of the NCSE Review of the SNA scheme concerned a change in the way that SNAs are allocated to mainstream classes in both primary and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (10 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) continues to accept applications by schools for exceptional reviews of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations and each application will continue to be assessed on a case by case basis. A core recommendation of the NCSE Review of the SNA scheme concerned a change in the way that SNAs are allocated to mainstream classes in both primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (11 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. All children who are eligible...