Results 7,341-7,360 of 19,598 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: In recent weeks, I have met with the Advisory Group on State Examinations, which has representatives of students, parents, teachers, school managerial bodies, the further and higher education sector, and the State Examinations Commission. Following on from this meeting, I met with the members of the advisory group on a bilateral basis and also had further engagement with each of them...

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

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. Decisions on changes to school...

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

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 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 €289m in 2021. Under the terms of my...

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

Norma Foley: I am very aware of the disruption experienced by students as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, including for students who will be due to sit their Leaving Certificate in 2023. My Department has worked with school management and teachers to put in place a number of measures designed to address the disruption experienced by students during the period of school closures and to ensure...

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

Norma Foley: My Department’s approach to supporting wellbeing and mental health is set out in its Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice first published in 2018 and refreshed in 2019. The approach proposed is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include providing children and young people with opportunities to: - build core social and emotional...

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

Norma Foley: I am very aware of the disruption experienced by students who are due to take their Leaving Certificate examinations this year. In recent weeks, I have met with the Advisory Group on State Examinations, which has representatives of students, parents, teachers, school managerial bodies, the further and higher education sector, and the State Examinations Commission. Following on from this...

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

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 121,400 children, including over 15,500 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 €289m in 2021. Bus Éireann is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (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: Schools Building Projects (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child and Family Agency (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. Schools are obliged to notify Tusla in line with the provisions of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 a “child” is defined as a person resident in the State who has reached the age of 6 years and who (a) has not reached the age of 16 years, or (b)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The site visit to which the Deputy refers took place on 31 January 2022. The purpose of the site visit was to identify on the ground what practical matters need to be addressed to accommodate both schools. This includes addressing the possibility of the provision of SEN facilities in both schools for the coming school year. The details referred to by the Deputy include points of information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application, for the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA), from the school in question. My officials have recently corresponded with the school Patron for further information to support the application. Upon receipt of this information the application will be assessed and a decision conveyed to the school authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, between 2016 and 2020 the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) undertook an extensive review of senior cycle programmes and vocational pathways. The NCCA’s Advisory Report on the Senior Cycle has been submitted to my Department for consideration. The Advisory Report maps out, in broad terms, an ambitious programme of work, which would enable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together. The total grant funding provided by my Department for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) provided by the Teacher Education Support Services and local Education Centres over the past 5 years is set out in the table attached. The proportion it represents of primary and post-primary teachers payroll costs is also provided. Please note...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, an investment programme of €210m has been delivered to schools under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 –2020. Schools are supported to develop their Digital Learning Plan, using the Digital Learning Framework, which enables schools to embed the use of digital technology in teaching and learning and assessment. Extensive supports, resources...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The payment once-off Covid-19 minor works funding for post primary schools of €17m announced on the 13th of December 2021 was paid automatically to schools in the free scheme with no onus on schools to make an application. Applications from post-primary schools in the fee-charging sector and Public Private Partnership schools are being considered on a case-by-case basis. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Budget 2022 has provided for an allocation of €18million for 2022 and €32million for 2023 to extend the DEIS programme to further schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. This represents an increase of over 20% in funding for the DEIS programme and will enable an expansion in 2022 to additional schools. This package follows an extensive body of work which has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education promotes a comprehensive and whole-school approach in schools to the promotion of positive mental health focusing on the entire school community, as well as groups and individual young people with identified need. This spans the curriculum in schools, culture and environment, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, student support and pastoral care, guidance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I am very aware of the disruption and stress experienced by students who are due to take their Leaving Certificate examinations this year. I also know that students had sought certainty and clarity regarding the approach to be taken in respect of this year’s examinations. I hope that the measures I announced on 1 February, including further significant changes to examination papers,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: On June 14th 2021, the project referred to by the Deputy was included in a bundle of projects which were tendered to a newly established Design & Build Contractors Framework. Each of the three contractors on the framework submitted a tender. The tenders were returned on October 27th 2021, it is anticipated that the Letter of Intent to appoint the Building Contractor will issue in...