Results 11,341-11,360 of 19,660 for speaker:Norma Foley
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: I am replying to the point the Chair made in saying that all issues were addressed. I am not aware that all issues have been addressed. The key issue was the necessity to co-operate with an important governance review. That was not done even though latitude of six to seven months was allowed. It is not possible to provide funding to organisations that do not co-operate with appropriate...
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: The review was independent.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: No, the review was independent and it was important that it remain independent of me, as Minister.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: There was six to seven months of repeated engagement with the organisation and requests to engage and co-operate with governance obligations. Refusing to do so over six to seven months speaks for itself.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: That is fair enough. We will agree to disagree.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: If the governance issues had been overcome, the council would have co-operated with the review.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: I want to be very clear. I am not clear as to the inference the Chair is making about the officials within my Department. He might clarify what exactly he is saying.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: To be clear, I have absolute confidence in the officials of my Department. They have-----
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: I just want to be clear. I have every confidence in the integrity of the officials of my Department and in how they have conducted their business not just with the NPCPP but with all with whom they engage. The draft review is now with the NPCPP. It is an independent process and for that reason it is not appropriate for me to meet with the council. It has an opportunity to comment on the...
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: The interim proposal was made in discussions between officials of my Department and the primary school parents' group.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: The Deputy will recall that I referenced that at the outset when I spoke about Cineáltas. I acknowledged the committee's work.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: For the record, the Department did not purchase the site. It was purchased subject to planning and the project is now going through the planning process. There is an issue around that. However, it is my understanding that it was only purchased subject to planning. There is further-----
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: My understanding is that the site has been purchased subject to planning. It appears that there may be some constraints, difficulties or challenges associated with the site but the Department is engaging with the patron and the relevant body, the local authority or whatever it might be, in that regard. The process is ongoing but the site has been purchased subject to planning.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: It is important to acknowledge that there appears to be some challenges and that these will have to be worked through first. That is my understanding. I will look into the matter to see if there is any additional information that I do not have at present and revert to the Chair but it is my understanding that the site has only been purchased subject to planning.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: I am satisfied it was an appropriate review. It was a consequence of a procurement process. It was and remains an independent review.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: No.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: Absolutely. I do not know the detail of it but I fully hear the case the Deputy is making. If he leaves it with me, I will get one of my officials to revert to him. Out of interest, what is the distance when the route is traversable?
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: Okay. I do not know the detail on it but I assure the Deputy I will get one of my officials to revert to him on it.
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: I acknowledge the excellent work of the REALTs on the ground. They have been invaluable to us. They are based in our education and training boards, ETBs, and have done tremendous work. They are a mirror of the excellent work that is taking place every day in our schools, which have been so flexible and resilient. As the Deputy noted, there are now more than 14,000 Ukrainian students in...
- Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023) Norma Foley: I acknowledge, and the Deputy will appreciate, that great strides have been made on BusConnects and its linkages. They are invaluable, especially, as the Deputy said, in rural constituencies. I have seen the benefit of that. The more we can increase the opportunity for people to take public transport, the better the benefit. The impetus for the school transport review is to look at a...