Results 3,561-3,580 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My predecessor as Minister for Education and Skills announced revised arrangements for the Junior Cycle 2020 on 29 April last. Under the revised arrangements and in light of the exceptional circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were asked as soon as possible after the end of the 2019/20 school year, to furnish students with a written school report on their learning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your correspondence in relation to Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together National School I was very happy to meet with representatives of Malahide Portmarnock ETNS on 2 December, to advise them on the status of the acquisition of the permanent site for the school. As advised at the meeting, a site had been identified for the permanent location of the school and conveyancing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 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 1975 Summary of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The requested information is set out in the attached table.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Since my appointment the live studies, reviews and research in progress, undertaken or commissioned by my Department of Education is set out in the table below. The timeframe for completion of some of this work may change in line with any necessary logistical adjustments arising from Covid-19 related impacts. The Deputy will also be aware that I intend to have a Review of the Calculated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. The Design Team is currently working on the completion of the Stage 2(b) report which upon...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department provides funding for Secretary posts in the Community, Comprehensive and Education and Training Board Sectors. A recruitment moratorium was introduced in the Public Service in 2009 which applied to these posts. At that time alleviation measures were put in place which permitted schools to fill Clerical Officer vacancies so as to maintain staffing levels at a maximum 1 Clerical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Following a Government decision on 17 February, I confirmed that the Junior Cycle examinations will not be run in 2021. Schools will be provided with guidance on continuing to engage this year group in online learning and assessment during the period of school closure and through in-person learning when schools re-open. This guidance and further information relating to the Junior Cycle...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Feb 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: Education Policy (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 442 and 445 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 and 523 together. Since Monday 11 January 2021, all students, including Leaving Certificate students, are engaging in a programme of remote learning with their schools. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Promoting wellbeing is a fundamental element of the Department’s overall plan to support school communities as we continue to manage the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department is leading on supporting the wellbeing of schools communities at this time. The response to support the wellbeing of all within school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 449 together. Under the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools are required to have drafted new admissions policies, which have been approved by the patron, following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending the school. The newly revised school’s admissions policy is published on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is not possible for my Department to confirm the number of students that will be seeking to enroll in any given post primary school(s) as the question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the Board of Management on behalf of the school patron and my Department does not hold information in this regard. Parents are entitled to apply to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is not possible for my Department to confirm the number of students that will be seeking to enroll in any given post primary school(s) as the question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the Board of Management on behalf of the school patron and my Department does not hold information in this regard. Parents are entitled to apply to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department establishes and supports new schools where a demographic need for such a new school has been identified. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that officials from my Department are working closely with Wexford County Council towards acquiring a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time. I can, however, assure you that the acquisition of a new site for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. Public health remain of the view that schools are low risk environments and that the infection prevention and control measures in place in school are effective but recognise there is an ongoing need to reduce societal activity and movement to curb the spread of the virus at this time. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment and are available on the Department's website. The school referred to is an Education and Training Board (ETB) school. The Department provides a staffing allocation, including an allocation for guidance provision, to each ETB...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Feb 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.