Results 1,881-1,900 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Other Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy and reiterate that there has been an unprecedented financial package allocated to the schools sector in recent months which is in excess of €375 million. This is unprecedented and never before were resources of that nature allocated to the education sector. This underlines the determination and commitment of the Government to recognise the great importance of the...

Other Questions: School Enrolments (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Under the provisions of the Education (Admissions to School) Act 2018 all schools must have drafted new school admission policies. These new policies have been approved by the respective patrons and are now published on individual school websites. They will apply for admissions to schools from September 2021 onwards. The Act requires schools to set out clearly their selection criteria in...

Other Questions: School Enrolments (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I will forward the information to the Deputy. I would like to reiterate the obligations here. The Act requires the schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admissions policies and provides that the schools and their patrons have discretion in regard to their admissions criteria and how they are applied once it is non-discriminatory and fair. If a school wishes to...

Other Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has published guidance to support schools in making adapted education provision for pupils who cannot return to school because they are medically certified as being at very high risk due to Covid-19. It is important that pupils in these circumstances maintain a meaningful connection with their class and school to continue their learning from home...

Other Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I will reiterate clearly from the outset that both the international and national evidence to date is clear that schools by their nature are safe environments. There is also an absolute recognition that the resources and measures required as part of the roadmap for the safe reopening of our schools have been put in place. I absolutely acknowledge a huge debt of gratitude is owed to the...

Other Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge there are individual circumstances. I am not aware of the individual circumstances of the case referenced by the Deputy. I appreciate that there is anxiety and anxiousness around Covid-19 but I reiterate that everything we are doing in our schools is underpinned by the best public health advice available to us. I reiterate also that the Health Protection Surveillance Centre...

Other Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I reiterate that I appreciate the very valuable contribution made by school secretaries and other support staff in the school environment. I have witnessed it and I am very conscious of it. I have met with Fórsa, which represents many of the secretaries working in schools. In recognition of the school secretary role, I have put in place special arrangements for the coming school...

Financial Resolutions 2020 - Financial Resolution No. 7: General (Resumed) (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Yesterday's budget was the first of this new Government and it demonstrates clearly our commitment to and our support for schools, and especially our students. With this significant new investment, we will continue to improve the experience of our children in education and provide improved practical supports in light of Covid-19. I am particularly pleased to announce that I have secured...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children 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 of over €219m in 2019. My Department is very conscious of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The Roadmap for the Full Return to School sets out how schools can reopen and operate in a safe and sustainable way. The roadmap was developed in line with public health advice provided by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE and follows comprehensive consultation and engagements with education stakeholders. The Government approved a financial package of over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The building project for Gaelscoil an Chaisleain is included in my Department's capital programme. Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Cork City Council and other relevant parties in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for the school. A number of site options have been identified and assessed. A potential preferred site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to providing permanent accommodation to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of potential site options have been identified and officials from my Department are currently appraising same. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time. The school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Tests (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Covid 19 testing, and the broader public health response to Covid 19 infections in a school is led by the local HSE Public Health team. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within schools. All schools were provided with the HSE document titled:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools and I am very aware of the issues faced by many schools in respect of teacher allocations and class sizes. As part of the budget measures announced yesterday the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a further 1 point...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 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. My Department is currently in the process of establishing a Framework of Design and Build Contractors to which Design and Build projects can be tendered. Once this framework is established, it is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The scheme under review, the ex-gratia scheme, was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from the O’Keeffe case and in response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). It was established in 2015 to provide an effective remedy for a specific category of people, namely those persons who had commenced domestic litigation but who had...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The school building project to which the Deputy refers has been approved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to enable the school to build a two classroom SEN base. The project has been devolved for delivery to Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB (DDLETB) and a Design Team has been appointed in that respect. The project is currently in Architectural Design. Site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Officials from my Department have been working towards the acquisition of a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of potential sites have been identified and these are currently under consideration. While a site acquisition process is underway and given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware the acquisition of a suitable site to provide new school accommodation has proved to be extremely challenging to date. My Department is working with Donegal County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites. A preferred site has been identified is being technically assessed. Donegal County Council, in consultation with my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The project at the school referred to by the Deputy is for the construction of a new 26 classroom special needs school, with a floor area of 5310sqm. The project commenced on site in June 2018 and is progressing satisfactorily. Subject to no issues arising it is anticipated that the new building will be ready for occupation in Quarter 1 of 2021.