Results 5,201-5,220 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: It is the responsibility of school authorities to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Human Rights (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: As outlined in previous replies, my Department has undertaken a review of the ex gratia scheme established in the wake of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgment. This review was in response to a determination by the Independent Assessor, Mr. Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill, that one of the criteria for eligibility to the scheme is incompatible with the ECtHR judgement. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (6 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: Teacher Training (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: As indicated in my most recent reply dated 25 May, I have contacted the relevant HEIs and am currently waiting for final feedback on this issue. I must point out also that as this information is personal data, the issue of release of such information, as has been requested, is relatively complex. As previously mentioned, my office will make direct contact with the Deputy when I have a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: With regard to the permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy, officials in my Department are working closely with officials from Galway County and City Councils under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable permanent location for the school. A number of site options have been identified and discussions with these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department provides funding to Primary and Post-Primary schools by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the Ancillary/School Services Support Fund (SSSF) to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools also receive a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The project for the school referred to by the Deputy is part of the Cahir Amalgamation project. The brief for the project is the construction of a 16 classroom school with a two classroom Special Educational Needs Base. Construction works commenced in October 2020 and are progressing satisfactorily on site. The cost of the works will be in excess of €8.5m.The original contract...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The decision by my Department to adopt a model of Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades in 2020 was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the State from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations last year. The purpose of this process was to allow as many students as possible to progress to employment, further education and training, or higher education. Leaving...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The DEIS Plan published in 2017 sets out the vision for interventions in the critical area of educational disadvantage policy and was based on the findings of an extensive review of the DEIS programme, which involved consultations with all relevant stakeholders. A key part of the DEIS Plan was the introduction of a new DEIS identification process based on an objective, statistics based...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: 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. As previously advised officials from my Department have been communicating with the school authority in relation to their application and as a result the assessment process is now progressing. On completion of this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department takes a proactive approach to the publication of a wide range of official information and the ‘publication scheme’ is regularly updated in accordance with the “Model Scheme” provided for in section 8 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2014. Our policy regarding the Publication Scheme is directly aligned with the guidance provided by the FOI Central...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department reports annually to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on FOI statistics including fees lodged. The table attached gives annual totals of fees received in relation to FOI activity since the commencement of the FOI Act 2014. Year Total FOI Fees 2014* €1944 2015 €1038 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department does not generally refuse requests on the basis that the maximum fee threshold is exceeded. The FOI Unit in my Department is proactive in engaging with FOI requesters where necessary to ensure that, as prescribed under Section 12 of the FOI Act, all requests contain sufficient particulars to enable the record to be identified by the taking of reasonable steps. If the request...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 307 to 309, inclusive, together. Officials from my Department met with the Irish Agricultural Science Teachers Association ( IASTA) in January of this year. Following this, IASTA attended a meeting on 16 February 2021 of an 'Agricultural Science in Practice Group' convened by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). Also in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 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. The purpose of my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy's that the school in question has submitted a tender report for their Summer Works Project, these documents are currently being assessed. The Department will contact the school shortly with their decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: On 17 February I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations would proceed, guided by public health advice, and that students would also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades. This decision was taken by government to ensure for every candidate in 2021, a method to assess their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school in question requested and were subsequently approved an uplift in funding to complete their Summer Works Scheme project.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is acutely aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. From 11 January 2021, all students, including students currently in fifth year and who are due to sit the Leaving Certificate examinations in 2022, engaged in a programme of remote learning with their schools. Students in fifth year were prioritised for a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health Services (6 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Schools have put significant infection prevention control measures in place to reduce the risk of coronavirus being transmitted to/within the school and significant funding of almost €650 million has been put in place by my Department to fund Covid-19 related measures, including funding for PPE, sanitation and additional cleaning etc. These measures will continue for the coming school...