Results 4,101-4,120 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (22 Feb 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 North Kildare School Planning Areas of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (21 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the state examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (21 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. The terms of this scheme are set out in circular 24/2023 which is available on the Government of Ireland website: www.gov.ie/en/circular/67f37-home-tuition-grant-scheme-20232...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (21 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs. Over the last number of years, the Department of Education and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places. These initiatives...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (21 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The site in the Minister's ownership, adjacent to St. Finian’s National School, Newcastle, Co. Dublin extends to 2.1 Hectares (5.2 acres). My Department has published guidelines to assist in the identification and the assessment for suitability of new sites for schools where the procurement of a new site is required. The relevant guidelines are TGD-025 for Primary School site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has recently completed Stage 2(b) Detailed Design. Since 2020, my Department has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 800 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 34 new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (21 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved a project under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for the provision of a 2 class SEN base and 4 mainstream classrooms. My Department received a revised Stage 1/2A report and this report was reviewed, with additional information requested by Department Officials in order to complete this review. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (21 Feb 2024)

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

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (21 Feb 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: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The project 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. My Department’s planning and building unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2024 in the context of overall requirements. The school campus project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (21 Feb 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 arrangements include a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts, using projected enrolment. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data from the Department of Social Protection, and my Department's own school...

Death of Michael O'Regan: Expressions of Sympathy (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I also would like to be associated with the words of sympathy to the late Michael O'Regan's family and, indeed, to his colleagues in The Irish Times, his family in Radio Kerry and the constituency of Kerry. Michael was much revered, much respected and, indeed, I would say, much loved, particularly in Kerry but, I would feel, far beyond. He was the consummate journalist. He was well...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: Work is progressing in my Department on the development of the new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. The steering committee which includes representatives drawn from relevant Government Departments and Agencies, is continuing to oversee the development of the policy. A public consultation process has been conducted to gather the views of stakeholders, including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that I am considering the report of the Oireachtas Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community which was published on 7thFebruary. In my own evidence to the Committee, I very much addressed the daily challenges faced by children with special educational needs and the importance of recognising these genuine challenges, and, where it is...

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

Norma Foley: Staff working in the NTS Payroll section of my Department recently contacted all school secretaries who opted into the new arrangements but who did not come on to my Department’s payroll because of retirement prior to the "go-live" date of 01/09/2023. Contact was also made with the schools in which these secretaries were last employed. The reason for these contacts was to gather...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that the Department is in receipt of an application, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the above named school. The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Flexible Work Practices (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: As outlined in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 267 of 23 January 2024, my Department has no policy in place which facilitates School Principals or Deputy-Principals to work from home. The right to request remote working will be available to all employees under the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 and a Code Of Practice in relation to this issue is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (20 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: Typically, each school building project requires the appointment of a design team which consists of multidisciplinary team members including Quantity Surveyors, Engineers and Architects and other members as required. Design teams are led by a Design Team Leader, whose responsibility typically lies with the Architect appointed on the project. The role of the Design Team Leader is similar to a...

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

Norma Foley: The large scale capital project for the completion of a school referred to by the deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. A tender report is under review by Department Officials. When this review is complete my Department will be in contact with the School Authority and the Design Team to progress the project and to authorise the issue of the Letter of...