Results 2,081-2,100 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: In the first instance I acknowledge that there are responsibilities for all teachers and staff irrespective of the medium through which they teach. I attended an excellent event today in which young people from all over the country showcased the work they are doing through the Cineáltas programme by the Department. I recognised that the delivery of that programme and the opportunities...

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 is certainly desirable. If a person attains a position of director, whatever that directorship might be, there is further education and training available to improve proficiency in Irish. That said, fluency is certainly desirable and could be helpful in the role. As long as an individual is prepared to upscale their Irish if it is part of their post remit, much as we are currently...

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: On the Deputy’s first question, there is very strong collaboration between my Department and the Department of children. As recently as this month alone, officials from the two Departments met to discuss the national plan for Irish. There is collaboration there. I know it has always been the Deputy's view that there is benefit to students in speaking more than one language. I agree...

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, we are seeking to do that. That is the purpose of the engagement between the Department of children and ourselves. We are working together. Many of our primary and post-primary initiatives are making their way into early years education. I refer to things like the DEIS programme, the extension of which is being considered. There is no reason that cannot happen language-wise. I...

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 legislation does not currently allow for the setting up of another ETB. I can pre-empt what the Deputy will say next, but he might appreciate that I am just giving him the information on the situation at present. Education and Training Boards Ireland, ETBI, would say that it has an education policy and development officer who has specific responsibility for Irish-medium education in ETB...

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: Okay. I say to the Deputy that I am only outlining where we are at present. That is not to say that things cannot change going forward. I am setting out the present provision under the current legislation.

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. I should also say I acknowledge that Deputy Ó Cuív has indicated that he is stepping aside from his current role. I want to acknowledge that here. I acknowledge his fantastic engagement, particularly to do with all things educational. It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge that here.

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: Similarly to Deputy Ó Cuív, I wish Deputy McHugh well and I acknowledge his great work when in the chair I sit in and in this committee. I am nearly reluctant to go near Deputy O'Sullivan or the Chair for fear that they will make a similar announcement. Guím gach rath air.

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 referenced Wales earlier. I visited there and was interested and keen to see how it was progressing on its ambitious targets. It is a programme for Government target. I believe Conradh na Gaeilge's view is that we should go from 6% to 20%. The programme for Government proposed 6% to 12%. I have not seen the draft. I made this point earlier. As it stands, it is just a framework. I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25, 26 and 27 together. The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract management arrangements to include services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme. The school transport fleet is made up...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department funds the purchase of specialised furniture and equipment for children with special educational needs. A School can apply for specialised furniture or equipment for students with special educational needs who are enrolled in the school. This includes furniture for a particular child's postural and toileting needs which assists the students in managing their day to day needs and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Sep 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 over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Sep 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 over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: Caretakers are valued members of our school communities who carry out work vital to the operations of our schools. At present, the majority of primary and post-primary schools receive assistance to provide for caretaker services under ancillary grant funding. Under the February 2022 agreement the implementation of revised salary and annual leave entitlements for school secretaries is now...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: My department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my department to address concentrated educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at post-primary level, determined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), the decisions on which textbooks, programmes and resources, if any, to use in primary and post-primary schools are taken at school level. Any concerns regarding material published in textbooks should be raised with the publisher themselves. One of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: The large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. The Supplementary Tender report is under review by my Department. Discussions are ongoing with the Design Team to assist in the completion of the review. When this process is complete and subject to no further issues arising,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Sep 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question for funding to reconfigure a classroom to accommodate a Special Education class. The main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Sep 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 over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Sep 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 over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...