Results 5,641-5,660 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided at the end of May following the work of an expert group that carefully considered the role of ventilation in managing COVID-19. A copy of the guidance is published at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: School secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools. The Department previously fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of an independent arbitrator for a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 and that a minimum hourly pay rate of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's school building programme. The brief for the proposed project is being finalised by my Department and when complete will facilitate the commencement of the architectural planning process, which will include the appointment of a design team, to deliver the project. My Department will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pension Provisions (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials from the Pension Unit of my Department are actively engaged in a review of the teacher's service history. Following the review, a service history statement will issue to the teacher next week. Any further queries in this regard can be sent directly by the teacher to .

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that two Emergency Works applications have been received from the school in question and are being assessed, a decision on both applications with issue directly to the school in the coming week.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the schools in question is included in my Department's school building programme. My Department is currently liaising with the patron in the context of the arrangements to be made to progress the project.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2020/21 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. Under the terms of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: It is the responsibility of my Department to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to draft, publish and implement a school admission...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table. The table sets out grant payments recorded on my Department's Financial Management System as payments to the schools in question. School Name Roll Number DEIS Amount Scoil Chroí Íosa, Galway 01013N Yes €84,945.74 Mercy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 376 together. Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools and supporting small schools. As part of the Budget 2021 measures, the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I am aware of the report referred to by the Deputy. I understand the need for improved capitation funding and I am pleased that budget 2020 has been able to provide for a further 2.5% increase in standard capitation funding for primary schools that applied from the start of the 2020/21 school year. This builds on the 5% increase in capitation announced in budget 2019. The combined increases...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 375 together. The COVID-19 supports provided under The Roadmap for the Full Return to School in 2020, included specific funding to support Principals who undertake teaching duties in primary schools. This funding provided each teaching principal with a minimum of one release day per week. Schools have been advised that, in the context of COVID-19,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Education Act 1998, all recognised schools are managed by the school board of management on behalf of the schools’ patrons or trustees or the relevant Education and Training Board (known as the management authority). Individual school authorities are responsible for the drawing up of a school policy in relation to the wearing of uniforms. My Department issued Circular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: School secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools. Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13th September, there has been significant progress in the Forsa claim for improved terms and conditions of school secretaries. While there is agreement in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: In regard to offices being used by my Department, I can confirm that the reception areas of my Department’s three main buildings in Athlone, Dublin and Tullamore are usually open to the public. However, the reception areas in these offices are closed to the public at present, due to the restrictions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. Contact details for the State Bodies under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Sep 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 have been provided with class teachers on the basis of of 1 teacher for every 25 pupils which is a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website. Teachers are currently allocated to post primary schools at a ratio of 19:1 in the free education system and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Support for special needs education is one of the most important areas of my Department's operations and an allocation of over €2 Billion has been provided for 2021, representing some 22% of its projected gross voted expenditure for the year. This funding is primarily allocated to meet the salary costs of teachers and special needs assistants but also includes school transport and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I understand the need for improved capitation funding and I am pleased that budget 2020 has been able to provide for a further 2.5% increase in standard capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools that applied from the start of the 2020/21 school year. This builds on the 5% increase in capitation announced in budget 2019. The combined increases given in 2019 and 2020 mean that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that this Government is fully committed to supporting the primary school sector. In the context of Budget 2022 we will continue to aim to deliver on the commitments set out in the Programme for Government, to meet demographic and other pressures in the school sector and to support and sustain our schools, their staff and our students in the face of the ongoing...