Results 17,101-17,120 of 21,076 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (4 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Under the Education Act 1998, the legal responsibility for transferring patronage rests with the current school patron in the first instance. A school patron may write to me, as the Minister for Education, to request a voluntary transfer of patronage to another school patron under Section 8 of the Education Act 1998 in relation to a particular school and requesting that the patron register...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The project for the first school referred to by the Deputy will deliver a new 8 classroom primary school and accommodation, including 2 classrooms for children with special educational needs. The project currently has planning permission and will, along with a number of other projects, be brought to the level of employer-led design with a Design Team assigned to do so under the supervision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (4 Jul 2024)

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 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils traveling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (4 Jul 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 Funding (4 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that Newpark Academy of Music is a private entity that does not fall under the remit of the Department of Education. Any proposal to allow the Academy of Music to use school property after school hours is for school management to deal with. Any agreed arrangements must be in line with the Department’s ‘Procedures on use of School Buildings and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (4 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The Summer Works Scheme plays an important role in the maintenance and upgrade of the condition of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (4 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: 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 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...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department’s voted estimate for capital and current expenditure for 2024 stands at €10.9 billion. This represents an increase of over €2.8 billion or 35% since 2019, which is significant. This is the third largest budget across government, and the largest ever investment in our schools. It indicates the strong commitment to investment in education by this...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I appreciate there are challenges right across society and particularly in our schools. In recognition of that, we have seen, as I have outlined, an almost 35% increase being made available to the Department of Education in the budget. We currently have €10.9 billion, which is the third highest allocation across Government Departments. On foot of that, we have seen a considerable...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank Deputy Canney. I appreciate his personal engagement on this matter. In the context of permanent increases, €21 million was secured in the budget. From 2024, that €21 million is ensuring the rate goes from €183 per pupil to €200 per pupil at primary level. That is a significant step forward in terms of a permanent increase in the core. Equally, other...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department’s voted Estimate for capital and current expenditure for 2024 stands at €10.9 billion. This represents an increase of more than €2.8 billion, or 35%, since 2019. As I said previously, this is the third highest allocation to a Government Department. It indicates the commitment of Government to education. In the lead-up to budget 2025, as Minister for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank Deputy Farrell. I appreciate it is hugely challenging for parents and for schools. Deputy Farrell specifically referenced parents. The Government has been very cognisant of that. The Deputy will be aware of the myriad of measures we have introduced in this regard. For example, for the benefit of parents, there is the free school books scheme, at a cost of €110 million,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I will conclude on the initiatives already outlined to support parents. The free school book scheme, the reduced costs for school transport, the removal of exam fees at junior cycle and leaving certificate, the introduction of DEIS supports at a cost of €180 million and the roll-out of the hot school meals scheme are all initiatives to support parents within our schools. We...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Under section 18 of the Maternity Protection Act 1994, an employee who is pregnant or breastfeeding may be granted maternity health and safety leave from her employment where, following a risk assessment by her employer, a risk has been identified which is not possible to remove from the work environment and where it is not possible to move the employee - an SNA, in this instance - to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge the enormously positive work carried out every single day by our SNAs. The Deputy referred to two different types of leave. I have outlined the situation with regard to maternity health and safety leave. For clarity I will reference the second type, which is assault leave. Where an SNA is injured as a result of physical contact from a third party, causing physical injury in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I am fully appreciative of the excellent work that is done by teachers, SNAs, school secretaries, caretakers and school leaders every day in our schools. If a member of staff is pregnant, under no circumstances would we want them to be challenged in any way in the school environment. Therefore, we have the health and safety aspect of it and, equally, the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023-24 school year more than 161,600 children, including 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post-primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine, were transported on a daily basis...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will appreciate that the scheme is managed on behalf of the Department of Education by Bus Éireann. He will appreciate that there is a criteria of eligibility for the scheme, namely students who live 3.2 km from the nearest primary school or 4.8 km at post-primary, from their nearest or next nearest school. That is the criteria as laid down. The Deputy will be aware that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: For absolute clarity, in the question the Deputy submitted he made no reference to any of the schools he referred to when he took to the floor. In fact, he simply asked if there was to be increased funding made available to run the Bus Éireann service. Let us be absolutely clear about what he sought information on and what he has now asked for on the floor of the Dáil. Those are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. Since 2011, arrangements have been in place for the establishment of new schools involving the forecasting of demand for school places based on demographic exercises carried out by my Department. New schools are established only in areas of demographic growth because the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to ensure every child has a...