Results 2,741-2,760 of 19,544 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: In Budget 2024 over €47 million was allocated to continue implementation of the schoolbooks scheme at primary level. On the 8thMay I announced details of year 2 of the Primary Schoolbooks Scheme which provides at a minimum free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks to pupils in recognised primary and special schools. More than 555,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary...

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

Norma Foley: The current position in respect of the joint major building project referred to by the Deputy is as follows; The Design Team submitted their Stage 2(a) Submission report to my Department in January 2024 for review, in advance of the Stakeholders meeting, which was scheduled for Wednesday 14th February 2024. Upon review, some key concerns were identified by Department officials, and the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (11 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the deputy refers has submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) within my Department. The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation, and accordingly, a revised scope of works and associated itemised cost breakdown was requested from the school. This was recently received and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (11 Jun 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. Schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (11 Jun 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. Schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 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 by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 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 Department has prioritised enhancing English as an Additional Language (EAL) support,...

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

Norma Foley: Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested around €4.5 billion in schools throughout the country. Around 800 school building projects have been completed and 300 other projects are under construction. This level of construction rollout recognises the priority that Government puts on investment in education. School building projects under construction involve an overall State...

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

Norma Foley: The large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy, is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award and is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which will be delivered under the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework. The project brief includes a new extension and the refurbishment of the...

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

Norma Foley: The Large scale capital project for the campus, which includes the school referred to by the Deputy, is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which will be delivered under the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework. The project brief includes the phased construction of two 16 classroom primary schools with a PE hall for the post primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (11 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced €50 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which has now issued to all recognised primary, special Schools and post-primary schools. This ICT funding is being provided to schools to help them continue to use digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment and which represents the second...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (11 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department has received a request for the acquisition of additional land beside a school referred to by the Deputy. This request is currently being examined and my Department will be in contact with the school authorities in due course. The building project which is currently in train for the school in question will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (11 Jun 2024)

Norma Foley: The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, is an important piece of legislation which has introduced a more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary and post-primary schools. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (11 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. My Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in the Castleknock_D15 and Carpenterstown_15 School Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 Jun 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 and 2 SEN base. The project was devolved for delivery to the school authority. Following receipt of the school’s letter requesting an uplift in funding to deal with these unforeseen costing during construction, the request was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (11 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. Following further consultation with Patrons...

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

Norma Foley: A potential property has been identified to provide permanent accommodation for Wicklow Educate Together Secondary School An architectural consultant has determined that it is feasible to develop this site and property to provide the accommodation required by the school. The proposed brief for the school is to provide accommodation for 600 pupils plus Special Education Needs Provision. Given...

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

Norma Foley: The project brief for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently being finalised by my Department and it is our intention to progress the project into architectural planning as soon as possible. School Authorities are typically involved from the early stage of a major project, as part of the assessment team at Design Team tender and appointment stage, and are encouraged to engage with...

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

Norma Foley: My Department is currently planning to install modular accommodation for the school to which the Deputy refers. This will comprise of two ground floor classrooms. It is anticipated that construction of this additional accommodation will be completed for the 2024/2025 academic year. My Department can also confirm that these classrooms are wheelchair accessible. My Department will continue to...