Results 3,521-3,540 of 19,544 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (16 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: 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. As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (16 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: 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 North Kildare. As part of planning for September 2024, data on applications for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (16 Apr 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 Staff (16 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department of Education’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, and 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). These circulars provide for the award of incremental...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (16 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers is to provide a 4 classroom Special Education Needs base, general purpose room and ancillary accommodation under my Departments Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project was devolved for delivery to the school authority. I can confirm that this project recently received my Department's approval to progress to stage 2b (detailed design...

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

Norma Foley: Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Department. As part of Budget 2024, I introduced an incentive scheme of up to €2,000 to a person who undertakes a professional masters’ of education (PME), graduating in 2024 and subject to...

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

Norma Foley: As you are aware I recently announced €79 million in funding to support digital learning in schools and minor building works. €50 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) will issue shortly to all recognised primary and post-primary schools, while a separate €29 million in minor works funding is being provided to primary and special...

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

Norma Foley: 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, using data from a range of sources, including CSO Census data, Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas Gaeltachta (11 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: Maidir le pleananna chun níos mó áiteanna i scoileanna Gaeilge a chur ar fáil i gceantar Bhaile Átha Cliath Theas, ceantar a chuimsíonn Baile Átha Cliath 2, 4, 6 agus 8, ba chóir a thabhairt a aird go bhfuil an bhliain bhunaithe, an tsamhail phátrúnachta agus teanga an teagaisc fós le socrú do na hiar-bhunscoileanna nua atá...

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

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers, includes an extension to the existing school buildings, decanting if required, necessary to satisfactorily develop the post primary school on its existing site to cater for an enrolment of 700 pupils. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and it has appointed a design team to progress the project. The Stage 2b...

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

Norma Foley: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. The project will provide 2 Mainstream Classrooms, 2 Classroom SEN base and Early Intervention Unit. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and is currently awaiting approval to construction. My Department has a strong...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Schooling (11 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The Constitution of Ireland acknowledges the family as the primary and natural educator of the child and sets out the rights and duties of the State in the matter of education. The Constitution makes explicit that the State does not oblige parents to send their children to any particular type of school. Parents are free to provide education in their homes, in private schools, or in schools...

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

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) application for funding for roof repair works. This application has now been approved and is with the Board of Management to progress the works.

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

Norma Foley: The purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis. I can advise that the school in question was granted funding under the SWS 2022 to upgrade the windows at their school. As the project was devolved to the school for delivery, the onus is on the school to abide by the SWS process. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Department of Education: Minister for Education (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank the Chair and committee for the invitation to attend today to discuss some key issues facing the Department of Education. Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for the Government and has been such since it was inaugurated. The majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Department of Education: Minister for Education (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank the Senator. She will be doing valuable work around endometriosis. It is important and the Senator is right that knowledge is power. It is important that we get that information out. We would be happy to take on board whatever documentation the Senator produces and we will give it a hearing. It is extremely important work. On special education, and the specific examples the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Department of Education: Minister for Education (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The Senator referenced a specific young person, prosthesis and areas of need in schools. The whole focus for every child and young person in the area, no matter what their needs, is to have supports in place at an appropriate time to be of maximum benefit to the young person. We are making great strides. An additional €2 million has been provided in the budget to ensure we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Department of Education: Minister for Education (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank the Senator. Obviously, I want to be associated with the words of appreciation for the former Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, who was so hard-working and diligent within our Department. She was great to work with. We welcome the incoming Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, and I met her this morning so we have set the ball rolling. I totally agree with the Senator that hot...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Department of Education: Minister for Education (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: As for young people or children with complex needs, the Senator is correct that the data was not sufficient from the community healthcare organisation, CHO, areas so to compensate for that, we are now relying on school data. I want to be very clear on that. If a young person has such a complex need that they do not complete any of the school testing requirements, they are given maximum...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Department of Education: Minister for Education (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: Yes, but not everything will come in the next couple of weeks. Some of it will come perhaps at the end of June.