Results 4,621-4,640 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: Fórsa trade union have tabled a claim seeking public service status for secretaries and caretakers who are currently employed directly by schools and paid for by grant funding, but which did not include any other staff similarly employed by schools. Officials from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and School Management Bodies have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The site acquisition process for the school referred to by the Deputy is complete and the school building project is being delivered under my Department’s Design & Build programme.  The new school building project is in architectural planning stage.  A preplanning meeting with the local authority has taken place and developed design work is ongoing. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 May 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. For the 2021/22 school year, an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sustainable Development Goals (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a significant and ambitious policy agenda that concerns all Government Departments.  The first National Implementation Plan (2018-2020), published in 2018, set out Ireland’s strategy to achieve the SDGs both domestically and internationally. The Goals are mainstreamed in domestic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sustainable Development Goals (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Sustainable Development Goals National Implementation Plan, a number of Education strategies and plans have been identified as key to implementing SDG 4 – Quality Education which spans ensuring - students/adults enjoy free/affordable, equitable and quality education, (4.1 and 4.3) - increasing youth and adults who have skills for employment and entrepreneurship (4.4) -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Social Media (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education has not engaged an outside company to  conduct online or social media monitoring.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Social Media (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: As part of its communications programme the Department listens to views from all stakeholders. One way these are considered is by having regard to social media commentary on matters within the remit of the Department.  The Department's communications unit regularly reviews commentary related to the Department's Twitter account and matters arising from the Department's work, with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Investigations (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department did not engage private investigation companies during the period in question. The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with her query.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: 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, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The staffing arrangements at primary level include an application process for teachers eligible for CID (Contract of Indefinite Duration) under the terms of Circular 0023/2015. My Department has received such an application from the school on behalf of the teacher referred to by the Deputy.  This application is being processed and the school will be notified of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 482 and 525 together. The school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design & Build programme. The new school building project is in architectural planning stage.  A preplanning meeting with the local authority has taken place and developed design work is ongoing. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that it is not the policy of my Department to provide Gender Neutral Toilets in schools. Design Guidance Document SDG-02-06 clearly outlines that the designation of each sanitary facility within a school as gender specific or neutral is a matter for the School authority and should be based on consultation with the School community. As such, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: Covid-19 has had a major impact on our daily lives and we have all had to adjust and adapt in the face of significant challenges. It is important to note that experiencing short term anxiety related to COVID 19 is seen as a normal reaction to abnormal events. My Department recognises that we are likely to see a variety of responses amongst students ranging from excitement and happiness...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department has published guidance for schools that provide various teaching and learning approaches, including bringing students outdoors and to local amenities to enhance learning, promote physical activity and help positive well-being. Decisions in relation to educational trips are a matter for each individual school authority and it is the responsibility of each school authority...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (18 May 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 range of supports being made available to all schools in the free education scheme include additional financial supports to provide for cleaning and hand...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (18 May 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: School Staff (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the provisions of Circular 0063/2017, the post of Assistant Principal was re-designated as Assistant Principal I (AP I) and the post of Special Duties Teacher was re-designated as Assistant Principal II (AP II). Currently in accordance with Chapter 3 of Circular 44/2019 for schools with 9 or less mainstream posts, open competition does not apply for the post of Deputy Principal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Tests (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The evidence to date from a public health perspective is that transmission rates of Covid-19 in schools are low. This is a result of the effectiveness of the public health infection prevention and control guidelines for schools and the successful implementation and adherence of all in the school community to the guidelines. Funding of almost €650 million has been put in place by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Data Protection (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: Please see below in tabular form the number of data breaches that occurred in my Department in each of the past five years and to date in 2021, and the numbers which were reported to the Data Protection Commission (the remainder were deemed to be of no risk due to their nature and therefore were not required to be reported to the DPC). - 2016 2017 2018* ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Sign Language (18 May 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, in line with The Irish Sign Language Act 2017 Act, my Department provides for an extensive range of supports to assist pupils and young persons with special educational needs, including children who are Deaf or hard of hearing, to ensure that children can have access to an education appropriate to their needs.  Many pupils who are Deaf or hard of hearing are...