Results 1,021-1,040 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Post-Leaving Certificate Courses (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: In response to the COVID 19 emergency, the Further Education and Training (FET) sector has demonstrated a swift and appropriate response.  In their short-term contingency planning, providers have made provision for the current cohort of learners engaged in their programmes and who are nearing completion of their awards, with adjusted teaching strategies and alternative...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 687 and 688 together. On Monday, 27thJuly, my Department published the report to Government “Reopening Our Schools, The Roadmap for the Full Return to School”. This Roadmap set outs how schools will reopen for all students from the end of August and what the operation of our schools will look like and be sustainable in a COVID-19 context. It...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Insurance Coverage (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Responsibility for procurement of insurance and payment of same rests with Boards of Management and the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) in respect of schools operated by them.  If a particular school has a query in relation to insurance it should raise this directly with its insurance provider. Boards of Management and ETBs should take a proactive approach when it comes to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. The starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702. As a result of the programme of pay restoration, the starting salary of a teacher is now €36,953 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692. Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Access to Higher Education (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: An administratively based Pilot Support Scheme is currently in operation in my Department which provides supports along similar lines to the SUSI grant scheme and is available to persons in the asylum, subsidiary protection or leave to remain process. To qualify for the pilot scheme, prospective students have to meet a number of criteria, including a requirement to: Meet the definition of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technologies Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, HEIs are autonomous with regard to the management of their academic affairs and as such retain the right to determine their own procedures and processes, including the making of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: On 22 July I announced a substantial package of supports in the amount of €168m for further and higher education institutions and students.  Additionally I am aware that this pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on younger workers and those in lower paid occupations with lower level of educational qualifications. Accordingly, through the Government's July Stimulus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Direct Provision System (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The organisation referred to by the Deputy has stated that it is arranging a survey as it aims to collect information about the current level of education and future educational aspirations of people in Direct Provision and in the asylum process. The survey has a particular focus on access to further and higher education. In late December 2019, the former Minister for Justice...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government was published last month. It creates a vision for reform and renewal that can help Ireland recover and thrive and sets out a vision for the transformation of our country over the next five years. Our higher and further education sector will play a key role in our recovery. In this regard, it is vital that we invest in our further and higher education sectors and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The eighteen non-commercial state agencies that were under the remit of the Department of Education and Skills, prior to the Taoiseach's announcement of 27th June 2020, continue to remain under the remit of my Department pending the development of the Transfer of Functions Order. The disposition of the bodies between my Department and the Department of Further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department administers the relevant pension schemes for teachers and non-teaching staff (NTS) at primary and post-primary level. Over 1,500 retirement applications are made each year under these schemes. In 2019, 1,504 retirement applications were administered and similar numbers are anticipated for 2020. Forecasting retirements in the education sector is complex. The availability of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Access to Higher Education (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The HEAR and DARE schemes are operated by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and regulated by the higher education institutions themselves. As such, my Department has no role in the application process. Applications to the HEAR and DARE schemes are submitted to the Central Applications Office (CAO) who coordinate the scheme for participating institutions.  All...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.    In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: A building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's current building programme. My Department is currently developing the building brief for this project and will be in further contact with the patron shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I have seen at first hand the very important work done by school secretaries, and indeed by the other support staff in the running of our schools.  In recognition of this, I have put special arrangements in place for the coming school year whereby schools will be funded to employ a replacement secretary or caretaker in the event that staff who are at very high risk of contracting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: On the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues Guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The Guidelines for the 33rd Dáil are currently awaiting Government approval.  It should be noted that the appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (30 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The wellbeing and mental health of our school communities is a fundamental element of the Department’s overall plan to ensure a successful return to school as we continue to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.  It is crucial that we support the wellbeing of our students and school management and staff in order to support successful re-engagement with teaching and learning.  ...