Results 9,181-9,200 of 19,621 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: Traditionally, school buildings are owned by the school patron. In general, this may be a diocese or religious congregation. Prior to 1999 when a decision was taken for the Minister for Education to acquire sites for schools the main schools owned by the Minister for Education were in the Community and Comprehensive school sector. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Tipperary Education and Training Board (TETB). I am pleased to confirm that a design team to deliver this project has been appointed by the ETB. The Design Team will now begin preparing the Stage 1 report (preliminary design). The Design Team will ensure that the project progresses through the design stages, obtains...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (7 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: In March I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme which means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme is being significantly expanded and eligible schools will now gain access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32million to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (7 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that a technical inspection was carried out on the school to which she refers. The purpose of the inspection was to assess the school's Emergency Works Application to remove Asbestos Containing Material from tiles within their building. The school were advised to arrange a Management Asbestos Survey (MAS), and the scope of work was agreed upon with the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge officially the students in the Gallery. It is lovely to have Young Social Innovators students from Coláiste Bríde here. I absolutely understand and fully appreciate Deputy Ó Ríordáin's motivation in bringing forward this Bill. Equally, however, I am very conscious that schools have put a considerable amount of work, time, effort and energy into...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (28 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank both Deputies. I clearly hear the points the Deputies are making and I acknowledge the good faith in which they make those arguments. I also acknowledge that it has always been my intention to work to the best of my capacity and ability with the Deputies here. I am appreciative of the manner in which the Deputies work with me. On this, I would have to say that there is a body of...

Confidence in Government: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: As Minister for Education, I welcome the opportunity to provide a brief outline of the key initiatives that have marked two years in education and indeed two years in government. In that time my Department has presided over an ambitious programme of delivery across myriad areas, including more than €1.5 billion invested in a proactive schools building programme; in excess of...

Confidence in Government: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: -----a €67 million package to support families as they prepare for the return to school, which includes the waiving of all school transport fees for the 2022-23 school year and the work continues.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 532, 558 and 563 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 Jul 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. The purpose of the Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: There is scope for exploration of the role of trade unions throughout a number of different strands and subject areas in both primary and post-primary education. In the Primary curriculum area of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) there are opportunities to explore, recognise and understand the contribution of trade unions in society as part of the Strand: Myself and the Wider...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (12 Jul 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. The purpose of my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) is the main policy initiative of my Department to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. The extension of the DEIS programme to additional schools follows intensive work by the DEIS technical group, which involved valuable input from stakeholders. The refined DEIS identification model builds on the objectivity and fairness of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) is the main policy initiative of my Department to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. The extension of the DEIS programme to additional schools follows intensive work by the DEIS technical group, which involved valuable input from stakeholders. The refined DEIS identification model builds on the objectivity and fairness of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) is the main policy initiative of my Department to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. The extension of the DEIS programme to additional schools follows intensive work by the DEIS technical group, which involved valuable input from stakeholders. The refined DEIS identification model builds on the objectivity and fairness of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: The terms and conditions of the Career Break Scheme for teachers are contained in my Department’s Circular Letter 54/2019 (Chapter 7). A Career Break is a period of unpaid special leave for not less than 1 school year. It may be extended on an annual basis provided the total period of the Career Break does not exceed 5 years at any one time, subject to an overall maximum of 10 years...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to build a one classroom special education unit base. This project is devolved to the Board of Management of the school. I can confirm that my Department has received a fees uplift request from the school pertaining to its Design Team. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has engaged the services of one of the companies to which she refers in her question during the period 1st January 2020 to date in 2022. Carr Communications provided services during this period for a total value of €32,642.86. The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: It is a requirement under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (NVB Act) that individuals who work with children and vulnerable persons be vetted by the National Vetting Bureau (the Bureau). The Teaching Council is the authorised body for administering vetting for teachers in Ireland and is required to assess the vetting disclosure for suitability...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (12 Jul 2022)

Norma Foley: In March I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme which means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme is being significantly expanded and eligible schools will now gain access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32million to the...