Results 10,241-10,260 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (25 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the state 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: School Transport (25 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021. In July 2022, Government announced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Oct 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, were 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: School Patronage (25 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that new schools are established by my Department on the basis of identified demographic demand in an area, and only after consideration of the capacity of existing schools to absorb the expected school place demand. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (25 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. This investment will build on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021. In July 2022, Government announced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: It is not appropriate that resources or materials produced or funded by the drinks industry, for education and awareness on alcohol, are in use in our schools. As the Deputy is aware, this position is set out in Departmental Circular 13/2016, Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles in Primary Schools, which states that schools should avoid using resources developed by the alcohol industry. This...

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank Senators for the invitation to make a statement to update them on the school transport provision for the current school year. School transport was established in 1968. It was created to facilitate access to primary and post-primary education for those children who, because of where they reside, might otherwise have difficulty attending school regularly. Of course there have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was granted funding under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme 2021 to provide one mainstream classroom with en-suite toilets, one assisted user WC and one SET Room. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and is currently at the Design stage. It is now a matter for the Board of Management to advance this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department’s Circular Letter 0032/2007 for primary teachers and Circular Letter 0054/2019 for primary and post primary teachers, details the agreed terms and conditions for the main leave types currently available, including the provision for substitute cover. Regarding ‘Illness in Family’ Leave and ‘Force Majeure’ Leave, the employer may appoint a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department approved capital funding in 2022 for the provision of permanent additional accommodation at the school in question. This project will provide for 1 additional mainstream classroom, 2 special education needs classrooms and ancillary accommodation. The project is devolved to the school authority for delivery. The purpose of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department runs a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of teachers at primary level. Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) represent a new source of supply in 2022/23. In excess of 1,870 primary NQTs have had their registrations finalised by the Teaching Council to date in 2022 with further applications being processed. Significant additional posts have been allocated to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. The project will provide the following accommodation at the school: 1 x Mainstream classroom including en-suite toilet and & 2 x SET rooms. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. I wish to advise the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved capital funding for the school in question under the Additional Schools Accommodation Scheme. The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery and will include 8 mainstream classrooms, 2 SET rooms and 5 Special Educational Needs classrooms. The provision of sensory gardens and a 250m² secure soft play area...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to outline to the Deputy the details of the procedures to process applications for all teacher appointments at the start of each new school year and the commitment of staff of my Department to efficiently process these applications. Early in the New Year, each school is advised by my Department of their teaching allocations for the forthcoming school year. It is the responsibility...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (26 Oct 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, were 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: School Staff (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30th September. The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The school referred...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers is at Stage 3 (Tender Action and Award). The Design Team has recently submitted a Stage 3 Tender Report, which is currently being assessed by my Department. Subject to no issues arising, it is envisaged that works could commence on site in Quarter 1 of 2023 with an estimated completion timeframe of 23 months.

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (26 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: I once again thank Senators for the opportunity to update the House on school transport for the current school year. I will reiterate what I outlined at the outset, which is that 126,000 tickets have been issued to applicants for the 2022-23 school year under the main scheme alone. At the start of the last school year, approximately 103,600 children were being carried on mainstream school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Oct 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. This application is being assessed by my officials and upon completion of the assessment process the school authorities will be contacted directly with a decision.