Results 4,761-4,780 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (17 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: Departmental Expenditure (17 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: Since 2020, my Department has invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 690 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects. School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have over 200 modular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scrúduithe Stáit (17 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: Tá na sraitheanna pictiúr mar chomhpháirt den Bhéaltriail Ghaeilge d’iarrthóirí Ardleibhéil agus Gnáthleibhéil, agus 40% de na marcanna iomlána don Ghaeilge san Ardteistiméireacht ag dul don Bhéaltriail. Mar fhreagra ar cheisteanna a d’ardaigh an CNCM agus COGG faoin sraith pictiúr agus faoi ghnéithe...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (17 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: Please find attached requested data, the first tab contains funding data while the second tab includes enrolment data for fee charging schools. Please note that funding data is provided by calendar year and enrolment data is by academic year with 2022-2023 being the last year we have final data available for. With regard to the level of fees charged, the Department is aware of fees being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (17 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: The sraitheanna pictiúr, or picture sequences, are a component of the common Irish Oral test for Higher Level and Ordinary Level candidates, with the Oral test accounting for 40% of the overall marks for Leaving Certificate Irish. In response to issues highlighted in National Council Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta &...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (17 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. Prosperous, Clane, Allenwood, Kilmeague, Coill Dubh,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (17 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant scheme was an action in the new STEM Education Implementation Plan published in 2023. The grant was to support schools in carrying out projects to stimulate an increased interest in STEM and included an application process as with other STEM initiatives in the past such as the STEM clusters...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Jan 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers, has been approved a project under my Department’s Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme to provide a 2 classroom SEN base. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and it is their responsibility to appoint a design team and to progress the project. I can confirm that as part of the school’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (14 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: In making appointments to State boards under my remit as Minister for Education, my Department operates in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform guidelines on appointments to State Boards. The Deputy should note that Board appointments, while made by me as Minister, are not in all cases made at my discretion. Individuals may be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education (14 Dec 2023)

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: Physical Education (14 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: Investment and expenditure on PE Halls is an element of the overall School Building Programme. The provision of GP rooms and PE Halls, at primary and post primary level respectively, and outdoor hard play areas, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings. This is also the case where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school place needs, 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, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Dec 2023)

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 my Department. In order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (14 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 273 and 274 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that requirements for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 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 were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Citizens' Assembly (14 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. The Programme for Government commits to establishing a Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Education ensuring that the voices of young people and those being educated are central. The Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use recently held its final meeting and the final report from this assembly is scheduled to be published in due...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: While over 90% of services are contracted locally, Bus Éireann apply stringent assessments of each individual driver on over 7,000 school routes. This includes vetting and background checks. It is Bus Éireann company policy that normal retirement age for all Bus Éireann staff is currently 66 years. However, Bus Éireann part-time school bus drivers and drivers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 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 were provided...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (14 Dec 2023)

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

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (14 Dec 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 to 284, inclusive, together. Tá an Roinn Oideachais lántiomanta a ndualgais reachtúla faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (leasú) 2021 a chomhlíonadh. Tá mo Roinnse ag obair chun a chinnitiú go gcuirfear ar a laghad 20% d’fhógraíocht ar bith ar fáil i nGaeilge agus go n-úsáidfear ar a...