Results 3,801-3,820 of 19,544 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Mar 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 school referred...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Mar 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 (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 and 477 together. The Large Scale Capital Project for the school referred to by the Deputy, is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. The project brief for the large scale capital project, involves the amalgamation of two schools. The total accommodation post-contract will be 24 classrooms comprised of a new school to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. 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. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The main purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme is to provide for unforeseen emergencies that impact on school buildings. An emergency is a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action and, in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening. The scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Mar 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 (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I understand that there are currently two school secretaries working in Park National School. The first, who has been employed since the end of 2018 did not accept the terms of the new agreement for school secretaries as outlined in Circular 0036/2022 – Revision of Salaries and Annual Leave arrangements for School Secretaries employed in recognised primary and post primary schools and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The campus school building project referred to by the Deputies is assigned to my Department’s Design and Build programme which uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction. This campus project will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including four...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers, was approved a project under my Departments Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme for the provision of one SET room and one mainstream classroom. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has recently approved this project to proceed to Tender and the school has been informed accordingly. It is now with the school authority to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The joint major building project for the schools referred to by the Deputy is currently completing Stage 2(a) - Developed Design, where the preferred design option is developed to a stage where it can be fully cost planned and prepared to lodge for Statutory Approvals. The Design Team submitted the Stage 2(a) Report to my Department on 1st February 2024, and upon review, an architectural...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: Since 2020, my department has completed of over 800 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 31 new school buildings. There are also circa 90 projects currently at the tender stage including a further 28 new school buildings. All of these new school buildings are flagship projects in their area and transform the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 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 and Monaghan Educational Training Board (CMETB). I am pleased to advise that this project is at stage 4 of the architectural process. Works commenced onsite in June 2023 and the Project Executive expect it to be practically completed towards the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The area of wellbeing and the promotion of positive mental health is a priority for the Department of Education. This includes promoting emotional wellbeing and resilience and positive coping skills, which support children and young people to manage the complexities of modern life. The Department of Education’s approach to supporting wellbeing and mental health is set out in its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, on 27 June 2023 Government approved proposals for the provision of a package of ongoing supports to survivors, which is comprised of a number of elements, including health, education, and advocacy supports. While I would acknowledge that this might not fully meet the expectations of some survivors, I believe that it is a balanced and proportionate package of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Mar 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 Government. While schools in certain locations are experiencing challenges in both recruiting teachers and obtaining substitute teachers, the vast majority of sanctioned teacher positions are filled. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 449 and 450 together. The project to which the Deputy refers, is devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). My Department approved a submission from the school authority to increase the original brief in the context of a significant increase in projected new enrolments in the area. This allowed for a project to cater for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: The existing Primary School Curriculum was introduced in 1999. However, over the past 25 years, developments in education nationally and internationally, as well as changes in our society have created the need for review and redevelopment of our Primary Curriculum. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) have been engaging in this work in recent years. As a result, and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that the existing Primary School Curriculum was introduced in 1999. However, over the past 25 years, developments in education nationally and internationally, as well as changes in our society have created the need for review and redevelopment of our Primary Curriculum. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) have been engaging in this work in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question currently has a project at stage 4 under my Department's Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) scheme. This project will provide the school with three new science laboratories, two prep areas and a new design and communications (DCG) room as well as two mainstream classrooms by way of refurbishment of existing accommodation. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Mar 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 and 455 together. 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...