Results 2,061-2,080 of 19,925 for speaker:Norma Foley

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: That is what we are at currently. From the start to the end of the Government, we will be looking at every point to double the numbers between now and the next ten years or whatever. We are making progress-----

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: No. At whatever point we look we look at it from and whatever base we are looking at, it is the overall aim of Government that we would, at the very least, double the numbers that are availing of education through Irish, in whatever form that may be.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: I imagine that within the next ten years we will see a doubling of the numbers of students availing of education through Irish, including the previous four years. We have six years left. Within ten years we would like to see a doubling of the numbers.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: The last consultation on this only took place last Friday. I have absolutely no idea what is going to be in this. I imagine, given that the vision, aim and objective is to strengthen the Irish language, that there will be objectives and aims within it that are distinct from the framework referred to earlier. The framework is a skeleton or a sort of overview. There will be stronger...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: Ultimately I will sign off on it.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: Tá a fhios agam.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: I appreciate what the Deputy is saying. It is interesting to note that the exemptions at primary school level have decreased. This has not been by a huge amount but they have decreased from 3.25% in 2017-2018 to 2.9%. They have increased at post-primary level from 9% to approximately 13%. There are 25% of the general student cohort who have a learning or additional need, and 60% of those...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: It depends. This is just of the young people with additional needs, and they have different levels of need.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: Níl.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: Yes.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, a review of that is ongoing and will be completed in 2026. That will give us a better insight into what is being achieved currently in comparison with what was there previously. Even with things like oral Irish, when there was an option for that to be provided as part of the junior cycle, 40% of schools availed of that, whereas with the new class-based...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: It started in 2023 but there was a break prior to that because of Covid-19 or some such thing. Does Ms O’Connor wish to speak on that point?

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: We are prepared to look at every opportunity. For example, we have satellite schools and supports operating where there are existing schools in place but they cannot get the support of additional teachers so we do that by satellite. Specifically, I understand the Deputy is asking around lowering the numbers if there are, for example, only six students on an island.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: That is a fair point.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: That is a fair point and is perhaps something we could look at. If there is specific instance the Deputy has-----

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: I can ask the NCSE to address that issue go ginearálta.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: I know that is an issue close to the Deputy’s heart.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: I absolutely appreciate the work of the mná tí. The whole purpose of students having an opportunity to experience living with a family and all of that is supportive of the language. The area of mná tí specifically falls within the Department of tourism. In terms of the supports we are in a position to provide, the capitation grant was removed after the recession. We...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: Interestingly, almost as an aside, there has been a positive announcement today in terms of scholarships being provided for students in DEIS schools. That is a support being provided by Government. It is really positive that opportunities like that are provided to all young people and, in particular, to young people who may have challenges in availing of these opportunities. These DEIS...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Cur Chuige an Stáit i gCur Chun Cinn Chóras Gaeloideachais: An tAire Oideachais (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank the Senator for his question. The reference to allowances refers to all allowances, not just those in respect of the Gaeltacht. The Department has implemented the outcome of the public-service-wide review of allowances and premium payments by the Department of public expenditure. This meant many allowance were no longer payable to new entrant teachers from 1 February 2012. Among...