Results 4,501-4,520 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: There are 5 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) providing primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in Ireland; four State-funded providers and one private provider. Each of the State-funded providers have both concurrent (undergraduate) and consecutive (postgraduate) programmes: •DCU Institute of Education. •Marino Institute of Education. •Maynooth University (Froebel...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: The school building project referred to by the Deputy, is assigned to my Department’s Design and Build programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction. The Invitation to Tender issued in April 2023, as part of a bundle of projects issued to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government commits to high quality Physical Education (PE) in primary and secondary schools. The appointment of Thomas Byrne TD as Minister of State with special responsibility for Sport and Physical Education reflects this commitment. My department also continues to work closely with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) with regard to curricular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department is currently engaged in ongoing discussions with the schools current landlord regarding the school remaining at their current location for September 2024. My Department will continue to keep the school and its patron body updated in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education is committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing of our children and I am very pleased to provide an update on the significant progress that has been made on Strands 1 and 2 of the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot in almost 650 primary schools across the country. I am also delighted to advise that my Department has secured additional funding in Budget 2024 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 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 credit in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Jan 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 Facilities (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: Managing ventilation is one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided in 2021 following the work of an expert group that carefully considered the role of ventilation in managing COVID-19.The updated guidance for schools is also fully in line...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Staff (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that I have the services of Garda drivers to assist me in carrying out my ministerial duties; the assignment of their working hours is a matter for An Garda Síochána to manage.In accordance with the terms of the Guidelines for Ministerial Appointments for the 33rd Dáil, Josepha Madigan T.D. Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion at my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: The purpose of the Teacher Fee Refund Scheme (“the TFRS”) is to provide funding to teachers towards the cost of course participation and examination fees on successful completion of professional development courses. The refund provided to successful applicants is a percentage of their fees, with each recipient getting the same percentage refund. No applicant receives a full...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department has approved the provision of a new school building for Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna. This project requires the provision of a new site. A number of potential site options have been identified and these are currently under consideration. This includes technical and economical appraisals of all potential site options.Due to the commercially sensitive nature of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for capital funding for both additional Mainstream and SEN accommodation.Officials in my Department have been in communication with the school authorities in relation to their application. This application is currently under consideration. When a final decision has been reached it will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, a potential permanent site option for Mean Scoil Mhuire, Longford has been identified and technically assessed. Discussions are ongoing with Longford County Council in relation to the deliverability and feasibility of the site in question. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of site acquisitions generally, it is not possible to comment further at this stage.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (30 Jan 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. A critical next step for my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (25 Jan 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: Public Sector Pay (25 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 240 together. My Department implemented the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments (September 2012) by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which means that many allowances, including this one, were no longer payable to “new entrant” Teachers. Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (25 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: Teacher allocations for post-primary schools are approved annually by the Department of Education in accordance with established rules based on recognised student enrolment. The deployment of this allocation is a matter for school leadership and management. Circumstances may arise, especially in smaller post-primary schools, in which the most effective use of available resources involves...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/23 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport scheme services are being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (25 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department has approved the provision of a new school building for the school referred to by the Deputy. My Department is satisfied that the accommodation to be provided for 400 pupils plus provision for Special Education Needs classes will cater for the long term needs of the school. This project requires the provision of a new site. A number of potential site options have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (25 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226 to 231, inclusive, together. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for individual school authorities, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In that regard there are more than 3,700 individual employers (boards of management of...