Results 11,361-11,380 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: As the Chair is aware, the matter is subject to a number of legal cases and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on it at this point.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: Critical thinking is a part of all of the various syllabuses provided by the Department and rolled out in our schools. From experience, I know children and young people are well-versed on simple initiatives such as advertising and a critical reading of whatever is available online or in a paper. Spotting what constitutes truth and what constitutes what the Chair refers to as disinformation...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: Yes. Everything is being examined in terms of eligibility. Traditionally, school transport was to the nearest school. The Deputy will be aware that I introduced a temporary alleviation measure at post-primary level, which meant that schools were eligible for transport to their nearest or second nearest school. All of this is being examined as part of the review.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I understand that and it is important that there will be a process because I fundamentally believe everybody should be entitled to be engaged in this, including parents, students, local communities, potential parents, schools and staff. Everybody needs to be part of the process. It should not be imposed as that can bring challenges. It is the right way to go and we will learn from the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, it is a €5 million scheme on a pilot basis. A considerable body of work is being done within the Department and with experts on the model that will be used for it and which will best meet the needs of schools and be most appropriate to the student body with which we are dealing, especially the younger cohort of students. It is our expectation that work will be...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I want to be careful not to cross into the remit of local authorities. I am aware from my own experience that there can be very positive and proactive engagement between local authorities and local schools in terms of improving access, particularly if the school is located on a busy road or whatever the case might be. That would be a matter for the local authority. In terms of provision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Adult Education Provision (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education retains regulatory responsibility for the ETB sector, including further education services. Officials have been engaging with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, which has policy responsibility for the further education sector, and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to this matter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services are being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: School caretakers are valued members of our schools and I am fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools. The majority of primary and post-primary schools receive assistance to provide for caretaker services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions those staff are employees of individual schools and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department has been in close engagement with Limerick Education Centre and school patrons and is aware of the evolving situation with respect to first year places in Limerick for September 2023, including the additional places that were being made available across schools in the city to address the school place needs. My Department is aware that 26...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding was approved under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for the provision of a 2-Classroom SEN Base. A Stage 1/2a Report was submitted and reviewed by Department officials. Additional information was requested from the Design Team, which has only recently been received. It is currently being reviewed in the Department. Combined...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Supplementing these universal supports, the DEIS programme provides a targeted and equitable way to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level that promotes equity across the primary and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2021-2015, the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. Outside limited and exceptional circumstances permitted under Ministerial regulations, a person employed as a teacher in a recognised school must be registered...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was achieved again in 2022 notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues. There were circa. 180 school building projects delivered during 2022 and a further 273 school building projects continued in construction at the start of 2023 -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: Under the Education Act 1998, all recognised schools are managed by school boards of management. Individual school authorities are responsible for the drawing up of a school policy in relation to the wearing of uniforms. Decisions on changes to school uniform polices are a matter for school’s at local level. Schools are advised to consult with parents and students when drafting a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161, 165, 166 and 177 together. The summer course programme for teachers contributes to the continuum of teachers’ professional learning, promotes innovation and excellence in teaching, learning and assessment, and is supportive of the goals set out as per the new national priorities. The principal objective of the summer course programme is to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The following projects are currently progressing in the Newtownmountkennedy area. Newtownmountkennedy Primary School The major building project for Newtownmountkennedy Primary School is an amalgamation of St. Joseph’s and St. Brigid’s primary schools. The project brief provides for the construction of a new 12 classroom building with a 2 classroom base Special Educational Needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services are being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services are being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (9 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department continues to welcome all students arriving in Ireland. We are working with all relevant authorities, education partners and school communities to ensure all children of school-going age, who are beneficiaries of the Temporary or International Protection Directive, are provided with access to appropriate supports to allow them to continue their...