Results 4,801-4,820 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capital Expenditure Programme (2 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: During the National Development Plan period 2018 to 2020, 526 school building projects were completed under the Large Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). These projects delivered in excess of 48,000 school places, which included permanent accommodation for 229 special classes and additional capacity for 67 classrooms in 14 special schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (2 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: Following discussions with the Education Partners it was agreed as part of the accredited grades process, that post-primary schools would close on 28 May this year rather than 4 June in order to complete the work required on accredited grades. The primary focus for the week beginning 31 May is the completion of the work required for Accredited Grades, in order to ensure that Leaving...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, agreement in principle has been reached to acquire a site for the permanent location of the school in question. The location of the permanent site will incorporate the current temporary site at Mill Road, Drogheda at which the school is currently located. Officials in my Department are working together to manage the site acquisition, interim accommodation and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (2 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is providing 4 additional general classrooms to the school in question which will facilitate the enrolments of 96 pupils for September 2021. I understand the school authority has offered 72 school places and do not propose to offer any additional places.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I understand from the school authority, that there is an issue around title to the property and that the local authority is working with a private individual to address this issue. As both the school site and the land in question are not in state ownership, my Department has no role in this matter. However, the information provided by the school authority has been forwarded to the CSSO.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: Choices regarding educational materials, textbooks and other educational products and services are made by individual schools and their boards of management, not by my Department. Schools have the autonomy to choose whatever resources they feel supports the delivery of the curriculum in their school. My Department does not endorse products or services from individual, commercial or other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The permanent school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design & Build programme. A planning application for interim accommodation for the school on its permanent site was lodged on the 26thMay 2021. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at the offices of South Dublin County Council,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The Parental Leave Scheme for teachers is contained at Chapter 5 of my Department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019 titled ‘Leave Schemes for Registered Teachers Employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools’. Parental Leave is provided under the Parental Leave Act 1998 to allow a teacher a period of unpaid leave to care for his/her child. An eligible teacher is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education, in close consultation with experts in the HSE, has developed a range of approaches to facilitate the safe operation of schools during this time. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: The NCCA has established two development groups, one for primary and one for post-primary, to oversee the work in this area and support the development of guidance material for schools. Both the primary and post primary SPHE/RSE Development Groups have been meeting virtually on a monthly basis since the groups were convened in October 2020. The immediate focus of the work...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Jun 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: Schools Building Projects (3 Jun 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: State Examinations (3 Jun 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: School Facilities (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that  my Department has written to the school authority in question relating to the matters raised by the school.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (3 Jun 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.  The Teaching Council registers teachers in line with the requirements set out in the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and the Teaching Council (Registration)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that in order to be a recognised Guidance Counsellor in a post primary school, one must hold (a) a post-primary teaching qualification (PME) (b) a recognised qualification in school guidance counselling and (c) be fully recognised by the Teaching Council as a post-primary teacher. Circular 0031/2011 on Teacher Recruitment, Registration and Qualifications and sets...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: As you are aware, the ex gratia scheme was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from and in response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) relating to Louise O'Keeffe.  The Department undertook to review the scheme in response to a determination by the Independent Assessor, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill that one of the criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme, from the school authority referred to by the Deputy.  Officials from my Department have been communicating with the school authority and as a result of additional information provided, the application is now...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm for the Deputy that Clare County Council have finalised the legal conveyancing on a plot of land in the centre of Kilrush which was acquired from a third party landowner. As the Deputy is aware, a master planning exercise is nearing completion by Clare County Council (assisted by this Department) in order to determine the best technical layout for the site. Once this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Places (3 Jun 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas, including school planning areas in Balbriggan, Co. Dublin. Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: - Duplication...