Results 1,901-1,920 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (14 Oct 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. A range of steps were taken to ensure adequate oversight of the Calculated Grades process. Technical details of the Calculated Grades model and the standardisation process which forms a key element of the...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 43 together. My Department is aware that some parents and children have had concerns about returning to school. My Department has developed and prepared a comprehensive response to supporting the wellbeing of school communities at this time. NEPS will work with schools to support them to meet the needs of their students on their return to school. The...

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

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of the vital role contributed by school secretaries within school communities and I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools. I have met with Fórsa, who represent many of the secretaries working in schools. In recognition of their role, I have put special arrangements in place for the coming...

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

Norma Foley: 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 an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’ This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The system of Calculated Grades is a complex and sophisticated system which had to be developed from scratch within an extremely tight timeframe in order for students to get their Calculated Grades results in time. The statistical model itself was developed specifically for the Irish Leaving Certificate. Technical details of the Calculated Grades model and standardisation process were...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 35 and 48 together. In relation to the school referred to by the Deputy, I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The School Authority has recently agreed to a proposed project brief, which includes specialist teaching accommodation, but does not include a...

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 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 of...

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

Norma Foley: The school building project to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019 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 to lead this project. The project is currently in Architectural Design. Site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: On 03 October I announced that improved Calculated Grades would issue that day to students impacted by the errors that were found in the Calculated Grades process. As a result of rectification of the errors, a total of 6,100 students have received higher grades. This breaks down as follows: - 5,408 students have received a higher grade, by one grade band, in one subject, - 621 students have...

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, a major capital project for the provision of permanent accommodation for the school in question is being addressed through my Department's Capital Programme. My Department proposes to master plan a 12 acre site owned by the ETB to demonstrate how the accommodation needs of the school, as well as the existing education provider on the site, could potentially be met,...

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 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 of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 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: School Transport (14 Oct 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 of...

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

Norma Foley: My Department published The Roadmap for the full return to School on 27 July 2020. This details the ongoing communication arrangements and continued stakeholder engagement on the implementation of the measures set out in the roadmap to support the continued operation of schools. In this regard the Roadmap states that my Department will continue to engage closely with education partners and...

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

Norma Foley: The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020, sets out a plan to embed the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment, and affirms that the use of digital technology can enhance the teaching and learning experience. The Strategy recognises that schools require investment in their ICT infrastructure. Funding of €210m has been committed to support the implementation of...

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

Norma Foley: My Department has been in comprehensive and intensive engagement with education stakeholders including the school management bodies and staff representatives for the purposes of ensuring that schools opened in a safe and sustainable way. These consultations involved the development and publication of important and helpful guidance and the provision of a substantial funding package to support...

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 site option has been...

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

Norma Foley: My Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €16.9 million in 2019 to all of these schools. Additional funding of €1million provided under Budget 2020 was allocated to 102...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: On 03 October I announced that improved Calculated Grades would issue that day to students who received lower Calculated Grades than they should have, as a result of errors that were found in the Calculated Grades process. As a result of rectification of these errors, a total of 6,100 students received higher calculated grades. This breaks down as follows: - 5,408 students received a higher...

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 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 of...