Results 7,321-7,340 of 19,598 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (8 Feb 2022)

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: Education Policy (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The third National Access Plan (NAP) for Equity of Access to Higher Education (2015 – 2019; extended to 2021 following a review) was launched in December 2015 to ensure that the student body entering into, participating in and completing higher education at all levels reflects the diversity and social mix of Ireland's population. The Plan identifies the target groups that are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Official Travel (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The government is in the process of finalising the programme to mark St Patrick’s Day around the world. This will include a programme of visits by ministers that will be approved by the government in February, which will be made public after it has been approved.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department approved the amalgamation of the three post primary schools in question, following an application from the schools' Patrons. My Department recently approved a large capital project under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme to faciliate the amalgamation and this has been agreed and devolved to the school authority for delivery. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for capital funding from the school in question. It is open to the school authorities to make an application for additional accommodation through the 'Additional School Accommodation' (ASA) scheme if they wish to do so. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Defective Building Materials (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: In relation to the submission of the Donegal Education and Training Board concerning students affected by the MICA issue, I previously confirmed to the Deputy that my Department had been in contact with the ETB and that a meeting between my officials and the ETB had been scheduled.I can now confirm to the Deputy that that meeting has recently taken place.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries 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 majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department has provided guidance for schools, including publishing an FAQ to assist schools engage with parents where there are particular difficulties arising for individual children in the wearing of face masks. The guidance provides for a number of exemptions including for any pupil with difficulty breathing or other relevant medical conditions. The FAQ can be found at the following...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries 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 majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: An Chomhairle Mhúinteoireachta (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Tá an Chomhairle Mhúinteoireachta ag obair faoi láthair ar na céimeanna deiridh de thairseach bunachar sonraí clárúcháin TF agus clárúcháin do mhúinteoirí atá feabhsaithe a chur i bhfeidhm. Nuair atá sé curtha i gcrích, cuirfidh sé na próisis chlárúcháin uile ar fáil sa dá...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: All Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are paid on the SNA salary scale which is set by the Minister for Education and Skills in conjunction with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. SNAs who are employed in a regular part-time capacity are paid a pro-rata amount, dependent upon their level of hours of employment. Part-time SNAs are paid on the agreed divisor rate for pay purposes for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: As part of the agreement between my Department, the relevant unions and school management boards of a standard contract for all SNA's in 2005, all SNAs have been required to be available for a number of days at the start and finish of each school term, not exceeding 12 days in total. Under the Croke Park Agreement it was agreed to introduce greater flexibility to the use of these 12...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including applications for assistive technology. SENOs then make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required. The NCSE operates within my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under the Department’s Design and Build Programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction. On June 14th 2021, the project was included in a bundle of projects which were tendered to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The Reform, Evaluation, Policy, Statistics & International Division includes the Central Policy Unit, Statistics section, the Public Service Reform Programme Office, and Data Compliance and Support Unit. The division leads the approach in ensuring the development and implementation of evidence-informed policies. In this context, I can report that progress is being made in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government makes a commitment to: Establish a new Primary School Healthy Eating education programme. This work is ongoing within my Department, and in the interim I would like to point out that there is already considerable provision in schools in the area of healthy lifestyles. As the Deputy may be aware, my Department works together with the Department of Health and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: As outlined to the Deputy previously, 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 (GIS), 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that the response to the tender competition to appoint a Project Manager to the ADAPT 3 Building Programme is currently being evaluated. This is expected to be completed soon. Once the successful Project Manager (PM) has been appointed, the next steps will be for the PM to appoint Design Teams. The Department anticipates that this element will be initiated in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries 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 majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. Public Health continue to advise that the two most important actions to prevent the introduction and spread of Covid-19 (and other respiratory viruses), is by ensuring no-one with new onset symptoms attend school, and that all...