Results 4,241-4,260 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Apr 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 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Apr 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 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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.  With regard to transport...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: In the case of all new schools, it is general practice to include a Special Education Needs Base (SEN Base) in the accommodation brief for new school buildings, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required. Typically, a two classroom SEN Base is provided in new primary schools and a two or four classroom SEN Base is provided in new post primary schools.  The National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Apr 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 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: As the deputy is aware, all children educated in Ireland are expected to have the opportunity to study Irish to an appropriate standard, and that an exemption from the study of Irish may be granted by school management in the exceptional circumstances outlined in circular 0052/2019 (Primary) and 0053/2019 (Post Primary) only.  The Department of Education website has guidelines and FAQs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, in relation to the Junior National School referred to, my Department has recently approved this project to go to Construction Stage for a one-classroom SEN base, two mainstream classroom with ensuite toilets, and WC for assisted users under the Additional Accommodation Scheme. The project is expected to commence on-site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (22 Apr 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. For the 2021/22 school year, an improvement of one point in the appointment threshold in primary schools has been introduced and schools will be provided with class teachers on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Apr 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 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is currently in the final stages of the process of establishing a Design & Build contractors framework to which Design and Build projects can be tendered. During that tender process, some short extension of time requests were submitted by Tenderers for various reasons such as delays in receiving information from resources, delays in design completions, delays in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, in relation to the Junior National School referred to, my Department has recently approved this project to go to Construction Stage for a one-classroom SEN base, two mainstream classroom with ensuite toilets, and WC for assisted users under the Additional Accommodation Scheme. The project is expected to commence on-site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (22 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission 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: Transport Policy (22 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has a number of initiatives in place to encourage and facilitate employees to use active travel to commute to work. Such initiatives include: Cycle-to-work scheme: The Cycle-to-work scheme (generally known as the Bike to Work Scheme) is a tax incentive scheme to encourage staff to cycle to work and is in operation in my Department since 2009....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Autism Support Services (28 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, in relation to the Junior National School referred to, my Department has recently approved this project to go to Construction Stage for a one-classroom SEN base, two mainstream classroom with ensuite toilets, and WC for assisted users under the Additional Accommodation Scheme. The project is expected to commence on-site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (28 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: On 3 October 2020 I announced that I had asked that a comprehensive independent review of the design and implementation of the 2020 Calculated Grades process should take place. I asked that the review should consider key aspects of the Calculated Grades process, including the initial decision to adopt the model, whether the process met its objectives, how effective the process was, how the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (28 Apr 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 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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.  Based on the public health...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (28 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State.  It is a function of the Council under the Teaching Council Acts (s7(2)) to act as the competent authority for recognition of qualifications obtained by a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (28 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: On foot of the publication of the Review of Career Guidance, a Taskforce comprised of senior officials within the then Department of Education and Skills was established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the review. The Taskforce has met six times and progressed valuable work which began with a detailed consideration of what is understood by Guidance in Ireland and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (28 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that at present, qualified post-primary teachers who also hold a recognised qualification in Guidance Counselling are entitled to apply for permanent positions as Guidance Counsellors in schools. In exceptional circumstances, where a school can demonstrate that it has tried on many occasions and was unsuccessful in recruiting a fully qualified guidance counsellor-cum...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (28 Apr 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. For the 2021/22 school year, an improvement of one point in the appointment threshold in primary schools has been introduced and schools will be provided with class teachers on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (28 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The main grant funding mechanisms for undertaking works of the nature referred to by the Deputy are the Annual Minor Works Grant or the Summer Works Scheme.   The Minor Works Grant last issued to primary schools in December 2020 and provides flexibility for schools to manage and prioritise necessary small-scale works. The Summer Works Scheme provides a mechanism for...