Results 441-460 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Is eol dom go bhfuil an Teachta ag tagairt don soláthar fadbhunaithe atá ann trínar féidir suas le 10% d’áiteanna ar chlár na Céime Baitsiléir Oideachais (B.Ed) bunscoile sna ceithre Institiúid Ardoideachais bunscoile atá maoinithe ag an stát a chur in áirithe d’iarrthóirí a bhfuil cónaí orthu sa...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I am very conscious of the staffing schedule and the need to prioritise teacher allocations in primary schools given their vital role in communities around the country. I am looking at how best to make further progress in reducing the primary teacher ratio in the context of the programme for Government implementation. The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Jul 2020)

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 Admission to School’s 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 the area. Parents have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Receipt of the public health advice for the reopening of schools and educational facilities on 1 July will underpin the important work of ongoing engagements with education partners and stakeholders in terms of planning and providing guidance for schools to ensure the return to school is safe for children and staff. This guidance when fully developed will include templates that can be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Responsibilities (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: In keeping with the established practice, a comprehensive briefing document was prepared in advance of my appointment by officials in the Department of Education and Skills which was then finalised following the Taoiseach's announcement that the previous Department of Education and Skills would have its responsibilities, together with certain responsibilities previously assigned to other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers applied for funding for the work in question under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme. As the scope of the works associated with this application were outside the terms of the scheme, this application was refused. I can also confirm that the mechanism for applying for funding for the full set of works of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: All higher education institutions are required to put in place appropriate student services, which can fall under a number of headings, particularly ‘Welfare and Guidance’, which includes counselling services and health promotion. In Budget 2020 funding of €2 million was provided by the Government for student mental health and wellbeing initiatives in the higher education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I can assure that the Deputy that I am acutely aware of the essential role that education can play as a means of improving the lives of children and young people in Ireland.  I have seen how the work of teachers and schools has the capacity to transform life outcomes for children and young people for the better.  The widespread recognition of the importance of education for our...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Since schools closed in March 2020, a number of pieces of research on the experience of distance learning in schools have been carried out involving the Department’s Inspectorate, the National Parents’ Councils, school management and principals’ organisations and research bodies such as the Economic Social and Research Institute (ESRI), Maynooth University and Trinity...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department advised schools of its decision to cancel Standardised Testing for primary schools for the 2019/2020 school year in April of this year. The decision was taken at the time when there was uncertainty as to whether the schools would reopen again in the 2019/2020 school year. The priority of my Department at the time was to support the learning and wellbeing of all our learners...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: On Wednesday 1 July 2020, I welcomed the publication of interim public health advice for the safe re-opening of schools in late August/ September. This interim health advice sets out the key public health requirements that will be required for a safe full reopening of schools and the measures that will be required to achieve this. Receipt of public health advice will underpin ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b (Detailed Design). All statutory approvals have been secured. This project is included in the Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The Design Team has recently submitted the Stage 2(b) Report to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 551 and 624 together. School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The new Programme for Government sets out 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, including an inclusive programme on LGBTI+ relationships. This work will draw on development work being undertaken by the National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands. As the Deputy will be aware, since April 2018, the Government announced plans for the establishment of 45 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including 17 new post-primary schools . Enrolments...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The information requested is not readily available in the format requested by the Deputy. However, the information is being collated by officials in my Department and will be made available to the Deputy very shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is still considering the temporary accommodation of a school at the site to which the Deputy refers and will revert to the patron body shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is still considering all options relating to the temporary site for the school to which the Deputy refers and will revert to the patron body shortly.