Results 6,781-6,800 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The school building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. On June 14th 2021, this project was included in a bundle of projects which were tendered to a newly established Design & Build Contractors Framework. The tenders were returned on October 27th 2021 and are currently being assessed by my Department's Project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Road Safety (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The new permanent building for the school referred to by the Deputy was included in a bundle of projects which were tendered to a newly established Design and Build Contractors Framework. The tenders are currently being assessed by my Department's Project Manager. The award of the building contract to the successful Contractor is anticipated in Quarter 1 of 2022. Once a Contractor has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: Officials from my Department contacted the Deputy's office and received clarification that the school in question is St Mologa's National School, Balbriggan. The major project for this school is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes the application for all statutory consents, including Planning Permission, Disability Access...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: Officials in my Department are working closely with officials in Fingal County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable permanent location to meet the needs of the school to which you refer. Negotiations with a landowner are ongoing in relation to a preferred site. While a site acquisition process is underway, given the commercial...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers has completed the tender process and has recently been authorised to issue a Letter of Acceptance to the identified bidder. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that works could commence on site in early Quarter 1 of 2022 with a construction timeframe of approximately 15 months.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is not pursuing the acquisition of a site for the school referred to by the Deputy. The project to provide permanent accommodation for this school is being delivered as part of a campus arrangement with St Joseph’s Secondary School on a site located at Kenure, Rush, Co. Dublin. The project has been devolved for delivery to CEIST, which is the patron body for St....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The post-primary school referred to by the Deputy is accommodated in the new 1,000 pupil permanent school building at the site in Mooretown. The primary school referred to by the Deputy is currently in interim accommodation at the same location which will be the permanent location for the new primary school building. The project to provide the permanent building for the primary school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: Mayo County Council have confirmed in correspondence their willingness to engage further with my Department with regard to the proposed site for the school referred to by the Deputy. My Department is currently finalising its assessment of the options for the school in question, utilising the most recently available data and projected school placed requirements, and will be back in contact...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Longford & Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB). The brief for this project is the provision of a 12 classroom Primary school on a Greenfield site at Abbeycarton, Longford. The Pre Stage 1 Report has very recently been submitted to the Department where it is currently being reviewed by the Professional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Programmes (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The main instrument to promote exchanges between Irish and other EU schools is the Erasmus+ programme which supports schools that want to organise learning mobility activities for school pupils and staff. In 2020, over €7m in EU Erasmus +funding was provided as support for both primary and secondary schools in Ireland. Mobility activities provide learning opportunities to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 406, 408, 422 and 423 together. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department recently contacted schools to outline a wide range of new additional measures to increase the availability of substitutes teachers. In respect of one of these measures, the Teacher Education support services funded by my Department have made arrangements to release teachers who...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the appointment of a board of management of a school is a matter for the relevant school Patron. Under the provisions of this Act, where a Patron determines that the appointment of a Board is not practicable, the Patron may appoint a manager or managers to perform the functions of the Board. In the case of the school in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 409 and 410 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: An Garda Síochána (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (the Vetting Act), which was commenced in April 2016, put in place statutory requirements for the Garda vetting of persons involved in working with children and vulnerable persons. The Vetting Act applies not just to schools but to any relevant organisation that employs, contracts, permits or places a person...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department is aware of some local pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas across the country including South Kildare. However, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: - Duplication of applications – pupils...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Tests (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: Ensuring that schools can remain open and continue to operate safely has been a key priority for the Department of Education. The Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. These measures protect students/pupils, their parents and school staff and are very effective when adhered...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides a payroll service to primary, post-primary, non-teaching and retired staff. The service has some 130,000 users and is managed by my Department’s Payroll Division in Athlone. The payroll system is an electronic system and a number of processes are already highly automated. For instance, the submission of claims for payment through the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department’s ventilation guidance for schools is very clear and practical on the steps to be taken by all schools to manage ventilation levels. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department is aware of some local pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas across the country including the Swords school planning area. However, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: - Duplication of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (14 Dec 2021)

Norma Foley: The property referred to by the Deputy is in the ownership of the Patron of the school. The Patron has recently informed my Department that they are considering changes to the registered ownership of the property to reflect the previous changes in trusteeship of the school. The Patron previously changed the trusteeship of the school to Le Chéile, an education trust which has been...