Results 5,401-5,420 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. The Department has updated its guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools. This was done at the end of May and followed on from work done centrally by an Expert Group that was looking at the role of ventilation in managing Covid-19....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. The Department has updated its guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools. This was done at the end of May and followed on from work done centrally by an Expert Group that was looking at the role of ventilation in managing Covid-19....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question for major capital works comprising of a new school building. Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the Department will be devolving the delivery of the project for the school to which he refers to the Joint Managerial Body (JMB). The next step in that respect, is for the JMB to enter into a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Department. Once this is in place, the JMB will then proceed with the appointment of a design team to progress the project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 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: Health Service Executive (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were 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 Administration (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education’s Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 are intended to give clear direction and guidance to school authorities and to school personnel in relation to meeting the statutory obligations under the Children First Act, 2015 and in the continued implementation within the school setting of the best practice guidance set out in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is very aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. From 11 January 2021, all students, including students who were 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 return...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/21 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were 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: Educational Disadvantage (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: A key part of the DEIS Plan was the introduction of a new DEIS identification process based on an objective, statistics based model to determine which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS programme. An extensive body of work has been undertaken in terms of the refinement of this model, based on the latest school enrolment data and data available from Census 2016 under the HP Deprivation Index....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department’s gross voted allocation for 2021 amounts to some €8.96 billion, and is being expended on first, second and early years’ education. The bulk of this funding is expended on paying the salaries of teachers and other school staff including those in the area of special needs education. It is also expended on paying pensions, the school transport scheme, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA). I can confirm that a Design Team to deliver this project was appointed by the NDFA in April 2021. The Design Team is now preparing the Stage 1 report (preliminary design). While at this early stage it is not possible to provide details or a timeline for completion of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The building project to which the Deputy refers is an extension and refurbishment project to cater for 750 pupils. Works commenced on site in October 2020 and subject to no issues arising, completion is expected in the final quarter of 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The Major Building Project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 1 of Architectural Planning, which includes site assessment and location suitability, and initial sketch scheme. Since the appointment of the Design Team in January 2020, my Department have held a number of interim Stage 1 meetings with the Design Team and Project Manager . An End of Stage 1...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has initiated a site identification and assessment exercise for a 1,000 pupil post primary school in the area in question and its environs. While a site acquisition process is underway and, given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time A similar exercise was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Officials from my Department have identified a number of potential site options in Wicklow Town for the permanent location for Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School and negotiations are ongoing with the landowners. My Department is working towards acquiring the most suitable site for this school while ensuring value for money for the exchequer is achieved. Officials from Wicklow County...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Kildare & Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this project includes a 2 classroom SEN base (ASD Unit). My Department has approved the project to proceed to Stage 2(a) of the architectural planning process which is the developed design stage. It is a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that the project to which he refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. I am pleased to confirm that this project will provide accommodation for a long term projected enrolment of 1,000 pupils with a 4 classroom SEN base (ASD unit) included. The NDFA has started...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jul 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 Accommodation (27 Jul 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...