Results 6,001-6,020 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Fire Safety (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that while the relevant school authorities are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of each school, significant capital expenditure is made available by the Department via the Summer Works Scheme and Emergency Works Scheme to safeguard the future of schools by undertaking essential improvement works and addressing issues which have the potential to impact on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Sep 2023)

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 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. There was an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Sep 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. There was an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that, as an exceptional matter, and due to the fact that a genuine error was made by the school when completing the Secretaries Survey, arrangements will now be put in place for the school secretary involved to onboard to payroll in line with the provisions contained in Circular 0036/2022 - Revision of Salaries & Annual Leave Arrangements for School...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, 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. Additionally, Project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Attendance (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The Schools Completion Programme, SCP, is a central element of Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme, a key policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level. The programme is funded by my Department via Tusla Education Support Service, TESS, who have overall operational responsibility for the programme. At present, management...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, 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. Additionally, Project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: Earlier this year, I announced a landmark new scheme which saw the government investing over €50 million in providing free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for pupils. More than 558,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, will benefit from the new scheme this year. The Department currently provides a book grant to all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: In circumstances where an alleged financial, enrolment irregularity or fraud is identified or suspected in a school it must be reported promptly to the Department. The Department’s standard policy is to ensure that an investigation is undertaken and that the matter is referred to An Garda Síochána where appropriate. Where a case is reported to An Garda Síochána it...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998 the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school including the charging of fees for any additional supplies provided by the school. In response to the National Payments Plan, the Department took steps from 2014 onwards to address the issue of payments in schools. In late 2017 a central arrangement for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (21 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: Under the Education Act 1998, all recognised schools are managed by the school board of management on behalf of the schools’ patrons or trustees or the relevant Education and Training Board (known as the management authority). Individual school authorities are responsible for the drawing up of a school policy in relation to the wearing of uniforms. Decisions on changes to school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The information that the Deputy requested is set out in tabular form in the attached spreadsheets. The information is based on the annual October Returns which were submitted to the Department by Post Primary schools.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Sep 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: National Educational Psychological Service (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The cost of employing one main grade Educational Psychologist in the NEPS service is €78,435 per annum. This includes pay and non pay costs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: The Department is aware that a number of schools are experiencing some challenges recruiting teachers for this school year. The Department meets on a regular basis with school management bodies and teacher unions on this very important issue, and has recently met with school management bodies in this regard. Fixed term replacement teacher posts must be filled according to the current rules...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Sep 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: School Admissions (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, 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. Additionally, Project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Sep 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise that the project referred to by the Deputy was granted funding under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to provide 1 engineering room, 1 engineering preparation room, 1 construction preparation/store area and 1 home economics room. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and was approved to progress to stage 2b...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Sep 2023)

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 from the school in question for special class accommodation. The purpose of the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater...