Results 2,181-2,200 of 19,414 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: 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 fully operational, and lessons learned from that process are now playing a key role in the drafting and implementation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998 the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and the principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school, including arrangements for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. The decision taken to become involved in organised school sports is a matter for each school. However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: 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 fully operational, and lessons learned from that process are now playing a key role in the drafting and implementation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The main purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to ensure the availability of funding to provide for unforeseen emergencies that impact on school buildings that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation. An emergency is a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my department has received a request from the patron of the schools under reference for the amalgamation of the two schools. As the Deputy will be aware the decision making authority for school amalgamations belongs to the patron or trustees of a school, and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education. Any proposed change must involve...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that requirements for school places are kept under ongoing review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity. My Department is aware of enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas and Department officials have been working very closely with patrons, management bodies and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional Schools’ Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: In accordance with Section 14 of the Education Act 1998, it is the duty of the Patron to appoint, where practicable, a Board of Management. The Board of Management is the body of persons or the person appointed by the Patron to manage the school on his/her behalf, including issues surrounding health and safety. While the Department of Education has statutory functions in the setting of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide 2 mainstream classrooms, 1 special education teaching room and the refurbishment of 4 existing classrooms into 2 mainstream classrooms. The responsibility for delivery of the project has been devolved to the school authority. The initial architectural...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The Policy on Gaeltacht Education was published in 2016 with the aim of supporting and promoting the use of the Irish language in Gaeltacht communities by strengthening Irish-medium educational provision in Gaeltacht language-planning areas. The Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme is the cornerstone of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education. It gives schools in Gaeltacht language planning areas...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The building project for the school to which he refers will provide for the construction of a 41 classroom primary school as well as the development of a second and separate 8 classroom primary school on the same site. Special Education Needs classes are being provided for both schools. The project has been devolved for delivery to Galway & Roscommon Education and Training Board...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oiliúint Múinteoirí (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Is meicníocht é Bealach Iontrála na Gaeltachta trínar féidir suas le 10% de na háiteanna i gcláir fochéime an Oideachais Thosaigh Múinteoirí (ITE) in Institiúidí Ardoideachais (HEInna) arna maoiniú ag an stát a choinneáil siar d’iarrthóirí ón nGaeltacht, i.e. iarrthóirí atá ina...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: In March I announced details of the new Junior Cycle free Schoolbooks Scheme, which provides, at a minimum, free schoolbooks and core classroom resources to Junior Cycle students enrolled in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. More than 213,000 students enrolled in approximately 670 post-primary schools and over 65 special schools, who have students participating in Junior...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide a Special Education Needs classroom. The project was devolved for delivery to the school authority. My department received a tender report from the school authority which was subjected to the required due diligence as specified in the Public Infrastructure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (11 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, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The Professional Master of Education (PME) is a two-year, full-time Level 9 postgraduate professional teacher education programme designed to qualify graduates as primary and post-primary teachers. Changes to the duration and content of initial teacher education programmes were made in response to recommendations in the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among children and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Under Section 38 of the Teaching Council Act, all initial teacher education programmes must be accredited by the Teaching Council for registration purposes. The Council reviewed its policy on standards for programmes of initial teacher education and published updated standards in Céim Standards for Initial Teacher Education in October 2020. Céim includes seven Core Elements which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department is working to ensure that the permanent accommodation needs of the school referred to by the Deputy will be addressed. In this regard, my Department is currently in discussions over a potential long-term option for the school. When this has been fully agreed, my Department will be in further contact with the patron of the school. The school in question is currently in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: At present, there are five stages of architectural planning involved in the delivery of large scale school building projects. The stages reflect the requirements of the Capital Works Management Framework developed by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The Department’s Design Team Procedures set out the requirements to be followed at each stage in the process and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The criteria required to have incremental credit awarded to qualified Special Needs Assistants(SNA) is set out in 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. To qualify for an award of incremental credit, an SNA and their prior work experience...