Results 5,841-5,860 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Please find attached the 2020-21, the latest available data, pupil-teacher ratios for primary and post primary by county as well as the average class size by county for primary. We are currently unable to calculate class size at post primary due to the difficulty of recording discrete class sizes where pupils have different subject choices and subject levels available to them. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (23 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 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 (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has a large-scale and ambitious roll-out of school building projects under the National Development Plan and as part of Project Ireland 2040. The continuation of construction work on school building projects during lockdown period in early 2021 was an important enabler to facilitating the delivery of our school building programme. During the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. My Department continuously monitors demographic growth in order to ensure that sufficient school places are available and the requirement to provide new schools is generally driven by demographic pressures arising from development. Two new primary schools were established in the North Kildare area in 2019, one under the patronage of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The average class size for schools in North Kildare is 25.4 based on mainstream pupils in mainstream classes, table attached. Mainstream Pupils Mainstream Classes Mainstream Class Constituency Enrolment per Return 2020/21 Count Class 2020/21 Average Class Size Kildare North 16025 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Care and Education (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for early years education outside the formal education system. However, my Department has a key role in supporting quality within the sector and works closely with the DCEDIY. My Department's main intervention in the provision of early years education is the Early Start programme and the Rutland...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has a strong and ambitious rollout of projects under the school building programme to support the operation of the school system. During the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526 completed building projects under the Large Scale Capital Programme and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme. These projects delivered in excess of 48,000 school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department has given approval to the Patron of the school in question to appoint a consultant to undertake an Options Study of the proposed property to meet the school's permanent accommodation needs. This Study, when available, will be used as a basis for determining the necessary refurbishment works required to the property. In the interim, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 285 to 292, inclusive, together. My Department has a strong and ambitious rollout of projects under the school building programme to support the operation of the school system particularly in terms of additional capacity requirements. During the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526 completed building projectsunder the Large Scale Capital Programme and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The annual estimated cost of allocating €10 per pupil to fund library books in primary schools would be circa €5.4 million. An arrangement was made through An Chomhairle Leabharlanna in 1971, whereby the local authority librarians would provide services for schools. At that time my Department made a grant available for this purpose based on the number of pupils enrolled in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (23 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under Article 44 of the Constitution and in accordance with Section 30 of the Education Act, 1998, parents have a right to have their children opt out of religious instruction classes if they so wish. Under the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools are required, where schools provide religious instruction that they clearly set out in their admission...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Schools, Cork Life Centre, School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health: Discussion. (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: This past year and, indeed, the year previously were extraordinary, not only in terms of education but across society. It has been a significant achievement that this country was in a position to offer the class of 2021 the opportunity to participate in the accredited grades process but also take the written examinations or, indeed, opt for a combination of both. That was in recognition of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Schools, Cork Life Centre, School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health: Discussion. (21 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Senator. I appreciate the points she has made. I will start with her final point. As regards lockers, I am very familiar with how that works and I absolutely appreciate how students and families are being discommoded in that respect. This was done in the context of Covid to ensure there was a minimisation of students circulating within schools and moving from classrooms to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Protected Disclosures (28 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under section 21(1) of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, all public bodies, including Education and Training Boards (ETBs), are required to establish and maintain procedures for the making of protected disclosures by their employees. Where an ETB receives a protected disclosure, they are required to follow those procedures. Any follow up actions in relation to a protected disclosure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (28 Sep 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 my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (28 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design. In October 2020, in order to expedite the progression of this major building project the Department authorised DDLETB and its Design Team to commence a pre-qualification process to select a shortlist of contractors, in parallel with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (28 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not received a proposal relating to the matter to which he refers. My Department is aware that there is engagement among stakeholders locally relating to a potential development.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (28 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government reinforces our commitment to improve the learning experience and success of learners and specifically commits to updating the National Anti-Bullying Plan to include gender identity bullying. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth committed in Better Outcomes Brighter Futures to “Develop a National Framework for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Good ventilation was identified as an important aspect of public health advice on managing Covid-19 risks and this led to the establishment of an Expert Group by the Department of Health. A sub-group of the main Expert Group focussed exclusively on the issue of improving and monitoring ventilation in schools. This report formed the based for the most recent updating of the ventilation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (28 Sep 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, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity, to identify where additional school accommodation is needed at...