Results 4,241-4,260 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, Section 18 of the Education Act 1998 requires boards of management to keep all proper and usual accounts and records of all monies received by it or expenditure of such monies incurred by it. Boards are also required to make school accounts available for inspection by me and by parents of students in the school. The expansion of the FSSU to schools in the Primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (13 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 County Dublin School Planning Areas of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: 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 (or GIS) to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. In addition,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The purpose of the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: Individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care, including traffic management measures. My Department will examine existing traffic management and safety at a school grounds where we are looking a wider building project or as part of a planning application for an extension at a school. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department provides a school-based psychological service to all recognised primary and post-primary schools nationally through the application of psychological theory and practice to support the wellbeing, and the academic, social and emotional development of all learners. The NEPS service provides access for all schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has recently completed Stage 2(b) Detailed Design. As the OGP have implemented Revised Public Works Contract documents as of July 27th 2023, the Design Team have been requested to further review their tender documents, as the Stage 2(b) Submission for this project predates this revision. The Design Team are to confirm...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question The purpose of the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: At the outset I would note that while remote teaching and learning was a necessity during the pandemic, the teaching model in Ireland is for in-person teaching and learning delivered in school settings, notwithstanding that, to facilitate effective approaches to supporting learning in a remote environment, schools are advised to develop and adopt a model for learning that will support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE) was launched on a phased basis in September 2018. This was the first time Physical Education was recognised as an examinable subject. The first cohort of students were due to sit the first set of examinations in LCPE in May 2020; however, as a result of the disruption caused by Covid-19, students did not undertake exams as set out in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that the issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools on public roads, such as road crossings, road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter , for the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools to ensure that measures are in place to protect the safety of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: While the State Examinations Commission (SEC) is responsible for the operation, delivery and development of the State examinations, I am very much aware of the importance for students, parents and education stakeholders of ensuring that the results for Leaving Certificate 2024 are delivered in as timely a manner as possible. The SEC continues to work closely with my Department, along with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the deputy that notification of the STEM grants was as followsannounced via press release on the 6 November 2023advertised in the Department of Education STEM Newsletter which was emailed to all primary and post-primary schools on the 8 November 2023Fortnightly updates issue to schools from the Department of Education to act as a reminder for press releases, consultations,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (13 Feb 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 (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that one of the shared services provided by my Department to the education sector is a payroll service for over 3700 primary, secondary, community and comprehensive schools. In 2023, over 155,000 individuals were paid through this service on the existing technology solution. With regard to the request raised by the Deputy, I can confirm that a competition seeking...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: The Government believes that a rise in the cost of living should never be a barrier to education. Increased funding to schools was provided in Budget 2024 with targeted increases in capitation of over €81 million. As part of the capitation package, €21 million will be provided as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question were approved funding under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, to establish a special class. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (13 Feb 2024)

Norma Foley: Following consultation with the education partners, the communications unit in my Department have clear procedures on the timing of publications and communications with schools. In so far as possible, no communication is to issue to schools on a Friday, over the weekend, or over school breaks. Communications to schools include circulars, consultation announcements, policy updates,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (13 Feb 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...