Results 5,861-5,880 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 437 and 439 together. 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 primary schools in the local authority areas. The amount of the grant payable to each...

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, 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, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country...

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

Norma Foley: There are various expenditure measures presented in the OECD’s most recent Education at a Glance, and expenditure as a percentage of GDP is just one of them. Ireland has consistently argued that, given the well-known measurement issues with GDP due to globalisation effects, an alternative measure should be used. This is acknowledged in the methodological notes of the report which notes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (28 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 on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (28 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, a revised ex gratia scheme to implement the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgement relating to childhood sexual abuse in day schools is now open for applications. The Scheme, which was developed in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, provides for ex gratia payments to be made to those who qualify to apply for the Scheme and who satisfy the...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 445 and 455 together. 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 primary schools in the local authority areas. The amount of the grant payable to each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (28 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level. My Department will spend over €150 million on the DEIS Programme in 2021, which includes some €26.07 million for the School Completion Programme. In the 2021/22 academic year there are 884 schools in the DEIS Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (28 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools. As part of the Budget 2021 measures, the Government have delivered on this commitment by the announcement of a 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule and the introduction of a three point reduction in the number of pupils needed to retain a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (28 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The course provider in question was offering programmes which bring emerging and senior leaders together from a variety of sectors in an experiential format and, as such, was meeting training needs identified for staff in my Department. The scale of the expenditure involved meant that it was not necessary to carry out a procurement involving advertisement on etenders for this work. ...

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

Norma Foley: Covid-19 Response Plans have issued directly to schools for the new school year. These plans are based on the Government’s Work Safely Protocol which reflects the most up to date public health advice for the workplace. They set out the range of measures required to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and provide clear and helpful guidance for the safe operation of school through prevention,...

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

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a building project to provide a new school building for the school in question is included in my Department's school building programme and a site is required for this purpose. Donegal County Council are undertaking a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on behalf of the Minister for Education of a site for the proposed Buncrana School Campus. This CPO was confirmed...

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

Norma Foley: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. The decision to grant planning permission by the Local Authority, which was received in July, was subject to 18 conditions. The Project Manager with their Design Team have commenced the preparation of tender documentation for the project. Once this stage is...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 452 and 456 together. The school to which the Deputy refers to was approved funding under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018 to enable it to build two classrooms, two small safe spaces, two standard WC, two general storage rooms and one laundry room. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this project was approved to go to Construction in June 2021....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (28 Sep 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, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020. Currently there are 13 staff...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that rental of €174,355 has been expended to date on temporary accommodation at the school in question.

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

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the application in question has been processed under my Departments Furniture and Equipment Scheme and the funds will shortly be paid directly to the school.

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

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of the huge contribution made by all Principals in our schools, including principals in schools with special classes. The allocation of an Administrative Principal position to a school is based on the school’s enrolment. A reduced enrolment threshold applies to schools operating 2 Autism special classes so that an Administrative Principal is allocated on the...

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

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government states that ‘this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools, including an inclusive programme on LGBTI+ relationships and make appropriate legislative changes, if necessary’. In April 2018,...