Results 3,781-3,800 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has no role in providing guidance of a clinical or medical nature. However the HPSC have published the following definition of a close contact in an educational setting In accordance with current HPSC close contacts guidelines a clinical Public Health Risk Assessment (PHRA) will be undertaken for all educational settings where a confirmed case has attended whilst...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including applications for assistive technology. SENOs then make recommendations to my Department. Therefore, I have referred the query in relation to this application to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades. This decision follows intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that Special Needs Assistants employed by the Department of Education, who are members of the original pension scheme, are permitted to work to the age of 70, and if employed on a contract of employment that extends to that date. If they are new entrants to the original pension scheme, they are permitted to work beyond the age of 70 if their contract extends...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home School Community Liaison Scheme (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I understand from my officials that the school in question has the services of a Home School Community Liaison Coordinator (HSCL) post shared with another school. Work by my Department on the refinement of the new DEIS identification model is nearing completion. A detailed analysis of school enrolment data and the latest data available from Census 2016, using the HP Deprivation Index,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Start Programme (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The Early Start programme was established in 1994, and is a one-year intervention to meet the needs of children aged between 3 years and 5 years who are at risk of not reaching their potential within the school system. It involves an educational programme to enhance overall development, help prevent school failure and offset the effects of social disadvantage. Parental involvement is one of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers opened in September 2020 in interim accommodation. The permanent school building, when constructed, will provide 16 mainstream classrooms, a 2 classroom Special Education Needs Base and appropriate ancillary accommodation.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. The Design Team has recently submitted the Stage 2(b) Report for review to my Department. Upon review and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The building project for St Francis Special School is currently under construction and is nearing completion. It is anticipated that the project will be completed by the end of Quarter 1 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (4 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: With regard to the building works in relation to the school to which the Deputy refers I can confirm that the contractor commenced on site on 2 March 2021. The anticipated handover of this accommodation is late May 2021. The reason for the delay in commencing works was primarily due to Covid-19 and to the finalizing of the Licence Agreement. My Department's officials have kept the...

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

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018 to facilitate construction of three classrooms, one resource room, two standard WC and one WC for assisted users. A Stage 1 submission was received in my Department which indicated that there are site restrictions applicable to the project, which had cost implications for its...

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

Norma Foley: On 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades. This decision followed intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (10 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The current requirements for the Gaeltacht Learning Period (GLP) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placement as outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. The Teaching Council Curricular Subject Requirements sets out the requirements for each of the approved curricular subjects in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (10 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 480 and 495 together. The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. A number of GLPs due to take place in 2020 were postponed due to public...

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

Norma Foley: During the Covid-19 pandemic, substitute teachers with a contract (written or verbal) covering an approved absence receive payment for the duration of that contract. The period of service that the teachers is paid for is reckonable towards incremental progression on the payscale.

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

Norma Foley: The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers. The criteria, reviewed annually with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (10 Mar 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. Parents have...

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

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. This school is in the bundle referred to as ‘Project Dargle’. The NDFA is currently preparing for the appointment of a Design Team in respect of this bundle of projects. At this early stage, it is not possible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Mar 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 2015. This project will provide for two mainstream classrooms with en-suite, and one WC for assisted users. My Department has also agreed to incorporate a summer works project for an upgrade to the waste water treatment system and the school...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 489 together. 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...