Results 481-500 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: Planning permission for the school building project referred to by the Deputy was granted by Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council on the 13th June 2019 subject to 18 no. conditions.  Two of these conditions relating to the provision of a public greenway were subsequently the subject of a first party appeal by my Department to An Bord Pleanála.  The decision of An Bord...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Erasmus+ Programme (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Higher Education Erasmus Programme Moblilites: There were a total of 18,258  students (see following tables) from Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on Erasmus mobility between 2015/16 and 2019/20 academic years to  KA103 Programme Countries and KA107 Partner Countries.  Of this figure, 3936 students from Irish HEIs went on an Erasmus mobility in 2019/20, an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Erasmus+ Programme (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Higher Education Institutions Erasmus Mobilities: There were a total of 39,837 international students (see following table) to Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on Erasmus mobility between 2015/16 and 2019/20 academic years from KA103 Programme Countries and KA107 Partner Countries. Of this figure 7456 international Erasmus students carried out mobility in Ireland in 2019/20,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Kerry ETB made a decision to deliver the Youthreach programme directly from 1 January 2019 and this transition has now taken place. While the Department had a role in relation to issues such as ETB staffing and pension implications and lease arrangements, it is a matter for Kerry ETB to engage on any cost liability to KDYS arising out of the process. As a public body, Kerry ETB...

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

Norma Foley: There are no plans to close the schools referred to by the Deputy.  In September 2018, the NCSE was requested to develop policy advice on the educational provision that should be in place for students educated in special schools and classes and to make recommendations on the provision required to enable them achieve better outcomes. It was agreed that the report would be...

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

Norma Foley: The national co-ordination group for tertiary education is meeting on a regular basis to consider key issues impacting the tertiary sector, including arrangements for re-opening institutions. These arrangements will be dependent on public health advice, and will be communicated to learners as soon as possible. Student accommodation license terms including cost, duration, refund...

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

Norma Foley: For small works using the Short Form of Contract, PWCF6, (under €1m) the average annual turnover over the previous three years must be not less than 1.5 times the sum tendered for the project.  These projects would be tendered under an Open Procedure where the contractor can decide in advance whether they can meet the minimum standards specified in the Declaration of Suitability...

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: Third Level Admissions (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Equity of access to higher education is a national priority for the Department and indeed, the Government. The third National Access Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education (2015-2021) (NAP) sets out the Departments current strategy to address underrepresentation in higher education by groups identified in the plan.  The NAP identifies Irish Travellers as one of the target groups...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (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...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is committed to providing a permanent accomodation solution for the school referred to. In this regard, a suitable site has been identified to accommodate a permanent school building for the school. My Department continues to work closely with officials from Monaghan County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding in...

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

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy, with respect to the project at the school to which he refers, that approval was given to the school authority last week to appoint a contractor to carry out these works. As this is a devolved project it is a matter for the school authority to progress them.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the statutory body with responsibility for developing, promoting and maintaining the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). In line with the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) currently recognises the qualifications of Irish awarding bodies including...

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

Norma Foley: Ireland submits bi-annual Action Plans to the relevant Committee of Ministers which is responsible for supervising the implementation of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights. To date 11 Action Plans have submitted and a further one will be submitted later this year. As you are aware, the ex gratia scheme was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from and in...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials from the Pension Unit of my Department have contacted the person to whom he refers.  In the absence of verification of service from this person’s employer, the management authority of the school, his request cannot be considered by the Department.   In order for the Department of Education and Skills to determine if the period...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Ex Gratia Scheme established in the wake of the ECtHR was set up to deal with a specific cohort – people who had discontinued proceedings in the domestic courts in the wake of a number of High Court judgments and the Supreme Court judgment in the LOK case. The review is ongoing. The Department of Education is committed to reviewing the ex gratia scheme, in conjunction with the...

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

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding was approved under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019 to enable the school in question to build one mainstream classroom, one WC for assisted users, five SET rooms and one Principal's office. I can confirm that the project has been devolved for delivery to the School Authority and is currently at design...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Teaching Council is responsible for setting the standards for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes through the review and accreditation of all ITE programmes. The Gaeltacht placement is a mandatory component of primary initial teacher education programmes, in accordance with the Teaching Council’s Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers of Initial Teacher Education....

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

Norma Foley: Budget 2020 has provided for a budget of more than €11 billion for the Department of Education and Skills in 2020. This is the highest ever allocation to the sector and an increase of nearly €2 billion since 2016.  Teacher numbers at primary level have increased by almost 3,500 when comparing the 2015/16 school year with the current school year and this has led to...

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

Norma Foley: The provision of permanent accommodation for the new post primary school to serve Greystones and Kilcoole requires the acquisition of a site by my Department.  I can confirm a potential site option has been identified and discussions are ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site. It is difficult to indicate a timeframe for any site acquisition as each...