Results 15,681-15,700 of 20,909 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: On 5th March I announced details of a new ground-breaking scheme which provides free schoolbooks to Junior Cycle students in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. Special schools who have Students enrolled in Junior Cycle programmes will also receive this funding. More than 213,000 students enrolled in approximately 670 post-primary schools and 70 special schools, will benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers, has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a bundled school building programmes. The project is currently at Stage 1 of the architectural design process. The process of appointing the design team was recently completed in Q1 2024. The design team will now take the project through the various stages...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 383, 384 and 400 together. I can advise the Deputy that we have provided this information to Drom National school on a number of occasions. The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant scheme was an action in the new STEM Education Implementation Plan published in 2023. The grant was to support schools in carrying out projects to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant scheme was an action in the new STEM Education Implementation Plan published in 2023. The grant was to support schools in carrying out projects to stimulate an increased interest in STEM and included an application process as with other STEM initiatives in the past such as the STEM clusters...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant scheme was an action in the new STEM Education Implementation Plan published in 2023. The grant was to support schools in carrying out projects to stimulate an increased interest in STEM and included an application process as with other STEM initiatives in the past such as the STEM clusters...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary and special schools. The NEPS service provides access for all schools to: Psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident A Casework Service for individual children where there is a need for intensive consultation and assessment.A...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The project referred to by the Deputy, is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which will be delivered under the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework. My Department’s planning and building unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2024 in the context of overall requirements. The school campus project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant scheme was an action in the new STEM Education Implementation Plan published in 2023. The grant was to support schools in carrying out projects to stimulate an increased interest in STEM and included an application process as with other STEM initiatives in the past such as the STEM clusters...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant scheme was an action in the new STEM Education Implementation Plan published in 2023. The grant was to support schools in carrying out projects to stimulate an increased interest in STEM and included an application process as with other STEM initiatives in the past such as the STEM clusters...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: When the grant scheme was announced the Department indicated that it had funding of €1.5m available. There was a phenomenal demand from schools with around 3,000 applications received. Every application received by the deadline of 5pm on the 30th November was read and processed, leaving 2,727 schools with an ask amounting of over €25m. My Department worked to secure as much...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that Dublin 15 is an area of significant population growth and as part of forward planning the Department of Education has been assessing school accommodation in the area. In this regard, the Department is planning a school building for the area that will be designed to be adaptable to cater for primary or post-primary school requirements as the needs arise. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was granted initial approval for the reconfiguration of accommodation for the provision of two special education needs classrooms under my Department's SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This programme which draws on the Department's procurement frameworks supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis for categories of works such as roof works, window...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, the school in question submitted a Summer Works Scheme(SWS) application in 2019, when the current scheme opened for applications. The category that this project relates to has not yet been approved, but the project remains a live project under the SWS. I expect to provide clarity on these projects when I announce the next tranche of summer works projects, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs. The Department engages intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Regulations (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 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. The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the department is in receipt of a letter dated the 21st February 2024 from the Board of Management of the school in question in relation to the acquisition of a greenfield site by the school. The Department is required to manage the overall school building programme so that we target and prioritise areas that are under greatest pressure for additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: Under the Education Act 1998, legally, all schools are managed by the school Board of Management and as my Department has no role in the employment of staff in schools or the day to day management of schools, a complaint about a child’s school and its staff should be made to the school itself. Accordingly, while my Department provides funding and policy direction for schools, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 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. The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question received approval under the Additional School Accommodation for the provision of 4 x Mainstream classrooms 1x Construction studies/ Woodwork room with Prep area. This project was devolved to the school authority and is currently at Stage 2b with the delivery section. I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has recently...