Results 1,421-1,440 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (16 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: Through the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary and post primary schools, and some 98% of schools are included in this scheme. The Department's High Speed Broadband Programme, provides all recognised post-primary schools, high speed broadband with a minimum broadband speed of 100mbs. There are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (16 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme which tenders to pre-established frameworks of D&B contractors.   The Deputy will be aware that planning permission has been secured for the project and the Departments Project Management team are currently working on the preparation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (16 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.  In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: State Examinations (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputies for raising this issue and allowing me to address it. The provision of calculated grades to students arose in the unprecedented circumstances of our not being able to run a leaving certificate examination, as the Deputies will all be aware. The concept was first mooted by students and there was an extensive process of engagement with education stakeholders and an...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: State Examinations (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: I reiterate that the development of the model for calculated grades has been a challenging process and would not have been possible without the co-operation of teachers and schools. I absolutely acknowledge that. For students who are disappointed with their results, the opportunity to avail of the appeals mechanism to ensure there were no administrative errors in processing their results...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: 9 o’clock I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to provide an update to the House on the status of the provision of accommodation for Greystones community college. On 17 December 2019 it was announced that the patronage of the new post-primary school for Greystones-Kilcoole was awarded to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, KWETB....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, construction of Greystones community national school commenced on site in September 2018, prior to the emergence of issues in October 2018 in 42 schools constructed by the contractor involved, which has been the focus of the Department's schools remediation programme. For the duration of the work, the Department's project management technical advisory team...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The following tabular statement gives details of the professional and administrative staff on a regional basis at the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) as at the 31stAugust 2020. Region Director Reg Dir Senior Psych Edu Psych Admin Head Office 1 0 1 0 8 Dublin...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: There are currently13 vacancies to be filled at the National Educational Psychological Service arising from retirements/resignations and 17 additional positions to be filled to assist the organisation in providing a service to school pupils who are experiencing difficulties arising from the restrictive measures that have been necessitated as a result of COVID 19. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: At the outset, I would like to set out the model of assessment in place to ensure children receive the supports needed. In 2017 my Department introduced a new model to support pupils with special educational needs. This means schools are now front-loaded with additional teachers to enable them to respond to pupil needs, rather than requiring an assessment to allow them to apply...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.  In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable reopening of schools in line with public health advice including guidance on COVID-19 Response Plans for schools. As part of this guidance there is specific guidance for students and their families, available at. www.gov.ie/en/publication/a04fc-advice-for-students-and-thei r-families/. My Department has up to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the state from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations. The design of the Calculated Grades model was informed by advice from a Technical Working Group comprising experts drawn from the State Examinations Commission, the Inspectorate of the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the state from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations. The purpose of this process is to allow as many students as possible to progress to employment, further education and training, or higher education in a way that is fair and equitable to all Leaving...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The results of the Leaving Certificate 2020 Calculated Grades were made available to all students who opted to receive them at 9.00 am on 7 September via the Calculated Grades Student Portal. I would like to congratulate all students for their achievements in what has been a very trying time for them due to the impact of COVID-19 on their education. The Calculated Grades Student Portal has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable reopening of schools. Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice. This guidance is focused on the practical steps schools must take to minimise the risk of transmission of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: On 21 August, I announced a series of changes that would be made to assessment arrangements for both Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations for 2021. This announcement was accompanied by a published document detailing these changes, Assessment Arrangements for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2021, and forms part of the Roadmap for the Full Return to School. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.  In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.