Results 3,581-3,600 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: The caretakers are next.

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

Norma Foley: I have not at present because the work on school secretaries proved more challenging than was envisaged because there were different circumstances for secretaries in different schools. We have 4,000 schools so the analysis has been a considerable undertaking and has taken more time than we had envisaged. By and large, school secretaries are pleased to be in the position that we are in now.

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

Norma Foley: Yes.

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

Norma Foley: We look at the whole suite of measures. We support the child with additional needs in the system. The vast majority of them are in mainstream education whether that is in a special class, a mainstream class or whatever. For example, we have the whole system around the SNAs. The pupil-teacher ratio has been reduced to an historic low of 23:1. There is continuing professional development,...

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

Norma Foley: I know.

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

Norma Foley: To speak in support of that, I know the school has been very much on the committee's radar and I appreciate the engagement members have had with it. I assure the committee that the school is very much a priority for the Department as well. I understand members are to visit the Middletown Centre for Autism or is that visit not proceeding?

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

Norma Foley: The committee will be very impressed.

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

Norma Foley: Fair enough. I acknowledge the superb work the centre does. It is a great example of North-South co-operation. It is resourced on a 50:50 basis and is first class. When the committee gets the opportunity-----

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: Caretakers are valued and vital members of the school system. The majority of primary and post-primary schools receive assistance to provide for caretaker services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a caretaker under these grant schemes to support those functions, those staff members are employees of the individual schools and as such the responsibility for the terms and conditions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 65 together. My Department provides funding to recognised Primary schools by way of per capita grants which is based on school enrolment. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government.  It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).   The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to confirm the  school referred to by the Deputy was established as a four-classroom school, under the terms of the divestment process. My Department has agreed that the permanent accommodation solution will provide for eight classrooms and Departmental officials are working to put this solution in place as soon as possible.  However, in the interim, and in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department has approved the provision of a new school building for Castlebar Educate Together NS. This project requires the provision of a new site. The site acquisition process is being progressed in line with standard acquisition protocols. My Department has engaged the services of a Site Acquisition Manager (consultant) in order to shortlist potential sites. Following an extensive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department has approved the provision of a new school building for Castlebar Educate Together NS. This project requires the provision of a new site. The site acquisition process is being progressed in line with standard acquisition protocols. My Department has engaged the services of a Site Acquisition Manager (consultant) in order to shortlist potential sites. Following an extensive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (10 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (9 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question was approved a project under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to provide 1 mainstream classroom and 2 SET rooms. The project was devolved to the school authority for delivery, and they have recently submitted the tender report which is under review by my department officials. Once this review is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (9 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my department received an application under the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) Scheme in 2021 from the school in question for funding for three special education needs classrooms. The purpose of my department’s Additional Schools' Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my department received an application under the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) Scheme in 2021 from the school in question for funding for three special education needs classrooms. The purpose of my department’s Additional Schools' Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and...