Results 13,441-13,460 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have available to them qualified, engaged teachers to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government. The Department of Education works with school management bodies, teacher unions and other education stakeholders in this regard The Department is undertaking a comprehensive programme to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: In response to the difficulties being experienced by some schools in sourcing substitute teachers, my Department launched a number of measures ahead of the commencement of the 2023/2024 school year which have been designed to assist schools in sourcing appropriately qualified substitute teaching cover to support teaching and learning in schools. These measures include:Allowing teachers who...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: Changes to the duration and content of all initial teacher education (ITE) programmes were made in response to recommendations in the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among children and Young People 2011-2020 and were incorporated into the Teaching Council’s Policy Paper on the Continuum of Teacher Education and Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: Céim – Standards for Initial Teacher Education (ITE)was published by the Teaching Council in November 2020. Céim sets out the requirements that all ITE programmes in Ireland must meet in order to gain accreditation from the Teaching Council. It is also a benchmark for anybody seeking to register as a teacher in Ireland. The review by the Teaching Council of 68 existing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department has a strong record with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both National and International level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design and specification. My Department’s approach to the decarbonisation of the school sector is predicated on establishing a credible phased pathway to zero...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has provided a new 16 classroom primary school including accommodation for children with special educational needs and was delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. The school commenced operation in the new school building on Friday 1st September, two days later than anticipated due to resource and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The permanent school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including four classrooms, for children with special educational needs. The project is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme. The estimated completion of Phase 1 is Q1 2024 and will deliver accommodation for some 680...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The recruitment and appointment of teachers is a matter for individual schools and ETBs. As the recruitment process is still ongoing and teacher appointments are currently being processed by Payroll Division, it is not possible at this stage to confirm the current number of vacant teaching posts. A clearer position in relation to the number of persons appointed to posts for the 2023/2024...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, the site identification and assessment exercise for the new Ériu Community College is ongoing. Potential site options have been identified, including a Minister-owned property. The Deputy will appreciate that negotiations in respect of site acquisitions are, by their nature, sensitive and for that reason I am not in a position to provide further information at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: Under the relevant legislation, all schools are managed by the school board of management/ education and training board (ETB). The boards of management and school principals have a responsibility for the quality and effectiveness of education and the management of staff in a school. The Teaching Council of Ireland requires all registered teachers to comply with its Code of Professional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: Schools have a role to play in supporting their students to develop the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed choices when faced with a range of difficult issues, including drugs, alcohol and gambling. This is mainly done through the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme. SPHE forms part of the mandatory Wellbeing area of learning at Junior Cycle. Wellbeing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. The reserved specialist tender report is under review by my Department. Discussions are ongoing with the Design Team to assist in the completion of the review. When this process is complete and subject to no further issues...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services were provided...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The Parental Leave Scheme is regulated by the Parental Leave Act 1998, as amended. Parental leave is a period of statutory unpaid leave available to teachers for the purpose of caring for their child. My Department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019, Chapter 5 , sets out the details of the Parental Leave Scheme for registered teachers employed in recognised primary and post primary schools....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy my Department has received correspondence from the patron of the schools in question requesting approval to amalgamate along with change of status to co-educational and provide a new school on a new site. The decision making authority for any amalgamation or change of status is the patron/trustees of the schools, subject to the approval of the Department. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: Under the terms and conditions of the Primary School Teachers Pension Scheme, 2009 S.I. 434, an individual may have an entitlement to preserved pension benefits, subject to certain criteria if he/she was in service on or after the 30th June 1977. A preserved pension is a pension paid to a former teacher, who was a member of the pension scheme but ceased employment before normal retirement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services were provided...