Results 5,121-5,140 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. 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. All children who are eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The School Excellence Fund (SEF) is an initiative developed under the Programme for a Partnership Government 2016 to encourage and recognise excellence and innovation in our schools. Since 2016 my Department launched a number of strands of SEF including SEF-DEIS, Gaeltacht, Digital, STEM and Step up (Leadership). The overarching aim of the SEF-DEIS strand is to improve learning outcomes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The school referred by the Deputy submitted an application for major capital funding and funding under my Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme and my Department’s Planning and Building Unit is currently liaising with the Patron regarding same. The school in question is operating on a tight site and the provision of additional accommodation is challenging. The Patron...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is currently considering the school's long term accommodation needs in consultation with the school's patron.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Establishment (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, this 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: Crime Prevention (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department responds actively to perceived and actual cyber and scam threats that could affect Department services. It receives alerts from several sources, including the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and responds quickly to mitigate known threats. My staff, where necessary, are advised by email and SMS alerts of the measures needed to be taken in such events. The response...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of the vital contribution of secretaries and caretakers within school communities and I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools. In recognition of their role, I have put special arrangements in place for this school year whereby schools will be funded to employ a replacement secretary or caretaker...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: NEPS is currently developing a range of workshops on the promotion of wellbeing and resilience in schools which include upskilling school staff on the use and implementation of therapeutically-informed approaches in schools. These include trauma-informed approaches, approaches based on the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy, and attachment-aware approaches. The approaches outlined in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Jul 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (1 Jul 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 Clondalkin_22 School Planning Area. (SPA) Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: - Duplication of applications – pupils have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's school building programme. The accommodation brief for the proposed project is currently being considered and a site visit is required to assist in developing the brief. My Department has been in contact with the school authorities in this regard. With regard to teacher allocation,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools. 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 the basis of 1 teacher for every 25 pupils which is a historical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: In relation to the school referred to by the Deputy, the school itself does not require prefabs for the 2021/22 academic year as they have sufficient accommodation in the building they are temporarily occupying. This school referred to by the Deputy shares the campus with two other schools, both of which, do require additional accommodation for September 2021. With regard to those two...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: From February 2020 all recognised schools in Ireland were required to draft a new school admission policy in accordance with the Act’s requirements. These draft policies required consultation with the Patron, the staff of the school and parents of children attending the school. These revised admission policies have been approved by respective Patrons, and are published on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Memorandum of Understanding in place between Local Authorities and my Department in respect of the acquisition of suitable sites for schools officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Cork City Council in relation to a site for the school in respect of which the Deputy is enquiring. A number of site options have been identified and assessed by my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools. Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment on the previous 30 September. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The building project referred to by the deputy is being funded under the Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme 2021. The project will provide refurbishment of 1,150 square metres of existing permanent accommodation. This accommodation includes the following provision: 6 general classrooms; a staff room; a Principal’s office; a general office; a meeting room; a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 Jul 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: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department has been in contact with the Parish in relation to potential acquisition of Booterstown Parish Hall. A valuation of the hall is currently being assessed by Department Officials and once completed, my Department will be in a position to enter into negotiations for the potential acquisition of the hall. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. 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. All children who are eligible...