Results 14,361-14,380 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (21 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department does not collate ownership related information, at the level of detail requested in regard to contractors and contracts awarded. I can, therefore, confirm to the Deputy that the information in response to his question is not available at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (21 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department does not collate ownership related information at the level of detail requested in regard to exercise, operation, training or research. I can, therefore, confirm to the Deputy that the information in response to his question is not available at this time. We have requested all Department of Education aegis bodies to respond directly to the deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (21 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers applied for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) to carry out Special needs facilities /Universal access works. I wish to inform the Deputy that these works have been approved and the school has been notified.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (21 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not provide funding for upgrade of traffic management or access to school sites outside of any works required as part of a wider school building project. Individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care, including traffic management measures. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (21 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: I am fully supportive of measures to improve educational outcomes for Travellers, which includes ensuring that the school setting is a more welcoming environment. Developing knowledge and understanding of Traveller culture and history in schools will help build a recognition of the important value of Traveller culture and history to this country and help to improve a sense of belonging for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2024 (21 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, budget negotiations are confidential.  However, as announced on Budget Day, I can confirm that I negotiated a substantial increase in funding for the education sector in 2024, in line with the parameters agreed by Government in the Medium Term Expenditure Strategy.  This includes a significant increase in funding to ensure that the existing level of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, the building project referred to has been devolved for delivery to Donegal Education and Training Board (DETB). The Design Team is currently progressing through Stage 1 of the architectural planning process, which involves developing options for both school buildings. DETB will submit a Stage 1 report to the Department once all viable options for the site have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (22 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for individual school authorities, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question regarding provision of an ASD Unit. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Nov 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: Education Policy (22 Nov 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 SPHE programme. SPHE forms part of the mandatory Wellbeing area of learning at Junior Cycle. Wellbeing in Junior Cycle is about young people...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: As has been previously advised, the school to which you refer applied for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) to carry out roof works to the school building. The works were deemed to be extensive and outside the scope of the emergency works scheme and the application was refused in that context. However to assist the school address the problems in the interim the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question under the Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The purpose of my Department’s ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (22 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: There are 358 schools with enrolments in excess of 575 pupils. The estimated cost of awarding an additional guidance post to these schools is €20 million per annum.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Nov 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: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: The sick leave entitlements for a teacher are as follows: A teacher who is absent from duty because of personal illness or injury, may be granted paid Sick Leave of a maximum of 3 months (92 days) on full pay in a year, followed by a maximum of 3 months (91 days) on half pay in a year. Paid Sick Leave is subject to a maximum of 6 months (183 days) in a 4 year period. A teacher who is absent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question was issued a provisional letter of offer following their application for capital funding under my Department's Additional School Accommodation Scheme. Following consultation with the school pre-cast modular accommodation was accepted by the school as the solution to best meet their particular needs. The department has a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (23 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department is aware of pressures at post primary level in the planning area of the school referred to by the Deputy. This pressure is in part due to the reduction by some schools in the number of first year places being made available for 2024/25 school year. A critical next step is to acquire clarity on the actual number of additional first year places required for 2024 in order for an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (23 Nov 2023)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of pressures at post primary level in the Athenry School Planning Area in part due to the reduction by some schools in the number of first year places being made available for 2024/25. A critical next step is to acquire clarity on the actual number of additional first year places required for 2024 in order for an appropriate solution to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (23 Nov 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...