Results 12,381-12,400 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (4 May 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 Accommodation (4 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the deputy received approval for a building project under the Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The school recently submitted the Form of Acceptance for this project. Progression of this project through Stage 1 of the architectural planning process currently lies with the school authority. Whilst this project has been devolved to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (4 May 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware small schools are defined for statistical purposes as schools with 4 mainstream teachers or less. Small schools are highly valued in their communities in that they provide a vital link to local heritage and history, help sustain rural populations and often act as a link for sports and social activity. Under the Programme for Government the Department of Education is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval has issued, to the school authority in question, for the provision of Modular accommodation. The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This approach supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises assistance to the school for this brief,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 May 2023)

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. My officials are currently liaising with the school authorities regarding accommodation required at the school.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for my Department. In order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: It is my Department's intention to progress the accommodation brief for the school referred to by the Deputy as quickly as possible. In the meantime, my Department has been working with the school patron to ensure that there is sufficient accommodation in place to meet the interim needs of the school, pending the delivery of the main project. Key priorities for my Department's work...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 May 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 Accommodation (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 157 together. As the Deputy will be aware, a major capital project for Blessington Community College is being addressed through my Department's Construction Programme. This project is currently at stage 2b of the architectural planning process. My Department has been engaging with Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB), as patron...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 May 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 Patronage (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. It is appreciated that practical difficulties can arise where family circumstances vary and differ, however, the Department's approach to the issue of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Welfare Service (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Since January 2021 Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) is under the remit of my Department. TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the Statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services the Home School Community...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 May 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: Schools Building Projects (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: A Minister-owned school site, Coláiste Chiaráin in Leixlip, has been identified as an option for potential redevelopment to accommodate a second school. The Trustees of Coláiste Chiaráin have agreed to allow the installation of temporary interim modular accommodation to meet the urgent accommodation needs for the school referred to by the Deputy for September 2023 and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Investment and expenditure on PE halls is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme. Almost 95% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to the Department that they either have a PE Hall, access to a nearby PE Hall, or a project in train that will deliver a new PE Hall which can be used as a sports...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The criteria for the award of Incremental Credit for previous experience is outlined in Circular 0139/2006 for special needs assistants (SNAs), and was agreed with the unions representing the Special Needs Assistants, school management representatives, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education. Section 4 of this circular covers previous relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Welfare Service (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: In line with the arrangements set out as part of the current Government formation, since January 2021 Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) is under my remit. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) and the School Completion Programme (SCP). The three TESS strands work...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I recently announced details of Ireland’s first national primary school book scheme, which is a permanent measure and will provide free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks, in recognised primary schools and special schools. More than 558,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, will benefit from this scheme. Guidance on the...