Results 2,081-2,100 of 19,412 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I have introduced three improvements in the staffing schedule for all schools, both DEIS and non DEIS since 2020. I provided for a one point improvement in the staffing schedule for all schools for the 2021/22 school year, a further 1 point improvement for 2022/23 and a further 1 point reduction from September 2023. This means that since September 2023 the staffing schedule for DEIS Urban...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education publishes details of the total number of teachers appointed to primary schools, and to Voluntary Secondary and Community and Comprehensive post primary Schools each year, and this information is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c97fbd-teacher-statistics/ My Department does not have details of projections of future appointments, we only collate actual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Building Energy Rating (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department has a strong record with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both national and international level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design and specification. My Department’s approach to the decarbonisation of the school sector is predicated on establishing a credible phased pathway to zero...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (23 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 are being transported on a daily basis to schools throughout the country. This figure comprises over 135,000 pupils travelling on mainstream services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: In the three previous Budgets, I prioritised reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools which has brought the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. A three point reduction in the retention schedule, which I introduced in 2021, assists schools that would otherwise be at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: A project to cater for 350 pupils plus Special Education Needs provision for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2B of the architectural planning process. This project can be facilitated within the existing site available to the school. The main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that the promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and digital learning within our education system is a key priority for the Department of Education, and is reflected in multiple strategy documents, such as the STEM Education Policy Statement, Digital Strategy for Schools, Action Plan for Education, Ireland’s National Skills Strategy,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Budget 2017 allowed for the commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an agreed distributed leadership model and meant lifting the rigidity of the longstanding moratorium on these posts. The equivalent of approximately 1,300 middle management posts (Assistant Principal One (API) and Assistant Principal Two (APII)) were restored in our primary schools. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. Budget 2020 provided for the re-instatement of the grant to cover the full cost of the Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: This would fall under the remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that 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 the Department. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an admissions policy in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The following link shows the teacher allocation data by county for 2023/24 and provisional allocation for 2024/25. The Department of Education publishes details of the total number of teachers appointed to primary schools, and to Voluntary Secondary and Community and Comprehensive post primary Schools each year, and this information is available at:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The requested data is set out at the links. This figure is based on mainstream classes in mainstream schools and are collated from the relevant Class Size tables published on the DES website and can be found at the link below:www.gov.ie/en/collection/class-size-information-at-ind ividual-primary-school-level

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The criteria required to have incremental credit awarded to qualified Special Needs Assistants(SNA) is set out at www.gov.ie/en/circular/352100e5203d485da40e4f113a5dad5e/, and was agreed with the unions representing the Special Needs Assistants, School Management Representatives, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education. Documentation from the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being collated. When this is completed my Department will reply in writing directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The school under reference in Fermoy was established in 2018 under the patronage divestment process. Fermoy was one of a number of areas surveyed in 2012/13 under the patronage divesting process, where there was sufficient parental demand supporting changes in school patronage. The areas surveyed were areas where demographics were not growing and therefore it was unlikely that a new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Please see table below for pupil-teacher ratio at primary level for the EU, OECD and Ireland from 2014-15 to 2022-23, the latest data available. Year Ireland OECD* EU-27 Average** 2014/15 16.2 15.7 14.2 2015/16 16 15.4 15.2 2016/17 15.7 15.6 14.6 2017/18 15.3 15.3 14.5 2018/19 15.2 15.2 15.7 2019/20 15 14.9 13.5 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Further to Parliamentary Question No. 87 of 11 July 2024 - Subject to the type of provision, the number of SEN classrooms, site and accommodation constraints ancillary accommodation associated with Special Education Needs Bases can include a Central Activities Space, Quiet Spaces, a Multi-Activity Room, Daily Living Skills space, Secure Soft Play Area and Sensory Garden. Special Schools...