Results 7,561-7,580 of 19,598 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gaeltacht Scholarships (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will note that a reply to this correspondence issued last week, which was within the timeframe for written replies to correspondence which my Department strives to achieve, as set out in the Department of Education Customer Charter. Under the Teaching Council Standards for initial teacher education (ITE) at primary, all student teachers must complete a 4...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: On 17thFebruary 2022, NPHET reviewed the remaining public health measures including the infection prevention control measures and restrictions in school settings. The Government has accepted the recommendations of the NPHET to remove remaining restrictions relating to mask-wearing and physical distancing in schools with effect from Monday 28thFebruary. The Department has published updated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The process referred to by the Deputy is outlined in a letter to school management bodies on 12 August 1998. The issue was part of the agreement on the pay and conditions  of school secretaries, considered under Clause 2 (iii) of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, and subsequent revisions of this agreement have been agreed through standard union engagement, most recently in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Mar 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 these staff under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions those staff are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The acquisition of the permanent site for the schools in question, (known locally as the “Glass Bottle” site) on the Goatstown Road, was completed by my Department in June 2019. The site will provide for a campus development of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school with 4 class Special Education Needs Unit (SENU) and a new 16 classroom primary school building with a 2 class SENU...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The process referred to by the Deputy is outlined in a letter to school management bodies on 12 August 1998. The issue was part of the agreement on the pay and conditions  of school secretaries, considered under Clause 2 (iii) of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, and subsequent revisions of this agreement have been agreed through standard union engagement, most recently in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department's engagement with An Bord Pleanála lies principally in the context of : - appeal lodgement in relation to an application by the Department for planning permission for a school building project. In such a case, the Department's engagement is in accordance with standard planning appeal procedures.  - the Board's determination of applications...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €17.2 million in 2021 to all of these schools. School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries and caretakers 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 these staff under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (1 Mar 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: Schools Building Projects (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, following an extensive site identification, assessment and negotiation process, the Department reached an agreement in principle, subject to contract, for the acquisition of 8 acre site at Magee Barracks in Kildare Town to facilitate the relocation of the school to which the Deputy refers. The acquisition process is at an advanced stage. Heads of Terms have been agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Flexible Work Practices (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Following recent changes to public health advice, a phased return to physical attendance in workplaces, for staff who had previously been working remotely, began with effect from Monday 24 January. How this will work in practice is a matter for each Civil and Public sector employer, including individual Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The approach is dependent on the individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Flexible Work Practices (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Following recent changes to public health advice, a phased return to physical attendance in workplaces, for staff who had previously been working remotely, began with effect from Monday 24 January. How this will work in practice is a matter for each Civil and Public sector employer, including individual Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The approach is dependent on the individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 126 together. The report which the Deputy has referred to was submitted to me on 22 March 2021.  This report highlighted, along with a number of other reports, the ongoing needs of survivors of institutional abuse and the lifelong difficulties they may experience.  A survivor-led consultative forum was also established and has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 the Board of Management of a school must inform Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) of their intention to expel a student. TESS prioritise expulsion cases. Once the intention to expel notification is received by TESS, 20 school days must elapse before a decision can be made by the Board of Management of the school to expel the student. During...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The permanent school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been assigned to the Department’s Design & Build delivery programme. The Design & Build programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.  A pre-planning meeting with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, utilising data from a range of sources including child benefit data, departmental pupil databases, CSO statistics and information on recent and planned housing developments to forecast school place requirements at primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The major construction project for the school referred to by the Deputy commenced on site in October 2020. Works are progressing satisfactorily on site and it is anticipated that the school will be ready for occupation in quarter four 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (2 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Under Action 88 of the DEIS Plan my Department has undertaken a review of out-of-school education provision. This review was carried out by a Working Group chaired by my Department and comprised of representatives from stakeholders including the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Tusla, Solas, Education and Training Boards Ireland and the National Educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (3 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that, following an extensive site identification & assessment process assisted by Wexford County Council, two potential permanent site options for Gorey Educate Together Secondary School have been identified and negotiations with the landowners are ongoing. In relation to the acquisition of permanent sites and as the Deputy will appreciate, the site...