Results 2,641-2,660 of 19,542 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (19 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the deputy refers has submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS). This application has recently been approved and the school has been informed in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding for a large scale major building project. The project is devolved for delivery to Cavan & Monaghan Educational Training Board (CMETB). I am pleased to advise that this project is currently onsite. Construction commenced onsite in June 2023 and pending no delays or issues, it is expected to reach substantial completion in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The Large Scale Capital Project at the school referred to by the Deputy, is included in the Department of Education’s construction programme which will be delivered under the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of the Project Ireland 2040 framework. The project is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. The tender report review...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The project referred to by the Deputy is devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. The project will deliver a new 24 classroom school with a 2 class SEN base, including a GP Hall and other ancillary accommodation. The project commenced on site in October 2023 and pending no issues or delays, it is estimated to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Welfare Service (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: In line with the arrangements set out as part of the current Government formation, since January 2021 Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my Department. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services, the Home School Community Liaison Scheme and the School Completion Programme. The three TESS strands...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: Since 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.8 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 800 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The major project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural planning Stage 4 – Construction. It is estimated that the refurbishment works will be completed in early quarter 3, 2024 and as this is an integral part of the overall tender and the Contract awarded, it is not appropriate at this stage to provide the detailed cost information requested by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. All schools have admissions policies, which were approved by the patron, following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending the school. It...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: I should explain firstly that the the purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) within my Department is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation. An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: On 5th of March, I announced details of a new ground-breaking scheme which provides free schoolbooks to Junior Cycle students in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. Special schools who have students enrolled in Junior Cycle programmes will also receive this funding. More than 213,000 students enrolled in approximately 670 post-primary schools and over 65 special schools, will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that requirements for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (18 Jun 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: School Transport (18 Jun 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 traveling 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: School Admissions (18 Jun 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. The Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in Greystones and Department officials are continuing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers, has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and it has appointed a design team to progress the project. The Stage 2b architectural report has been received by my Department and is currently under review from both a technical and cost perspective. My Department will revert to the school authority directly on the outcome and the next steps to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department has adapted to the dynamic landscape of student enrolment. This has been particularly effective in the context of the pace and volume of newly arrived students fleeing the war in Ukraine and the ongoing increase in students, who require EAL supports to fully access the curriculum. The Special Education Teaching (SET) allocation provides a unified allocation for special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The 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 Equipment (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The first phase of the Schools Photovoltaic (PV) Programme was launched to over 1600 schools in November 2024. It will provide eligible schools with 6 kilowatts of roof-mounted solar PV, which equates to approximately 16 solar panels. The scheme is funded from the government’s Climate Action Fund, in line with the government’s recognition that taking action on climate change...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The appeal submitted...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is...