Results 6,241-6,260 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (4 Jul 2023)

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: School Staff (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of the best possible customer service in NTS Payroll continues to be a priority and is under regular review. The primary means of contact for SNAs to NTS Payroll is, in the first instance, via email at ntspayroll@education.gov.ie. This enables payroll staff to review and collect beforehand, all the required information needed to respond...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: Caranua was established in 2013 to disburse funding supports to survivors of abuse in residential institutions from a fund of €110m plus interest which was contributed by the relevant congregations following the publication of the Ryan Report in 2009. As the funding available to Caranua was finite in nature, Caranua began to wind-down its operations in 2018, and finalised all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that the majority of schools have a general purpose room / Physical Education hall and practically all schools have outdoor play areas. In addition, many schools, use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. Investment and expenditure on sports facilities is an element of the overall expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website. My Department allocates teaching posts to individual ETB Schemes in accordance with the published criteria. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: School boards of management/ ETBs are the employers of teachers and the recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for each individual school authority. The Department does not maintain policies on staff retention, as this is a role for a school's board of management or the relevant ETB. Teachers notify school management, in writing, of their intention to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: The number of psychology students who graduate from Irish universities every year is a matter for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. My Department is looking at how it can continue to recruit adequate numbers of suitably qualified educational psychologists to continue to respond to the educational psychological needs of children in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department has completed the acquisition of a 2.6 acre site adjacent to St Nessan's NS. The application for registration has been lodged with the Property Registration Authority. This site will be used to accommodate the required expansion of the school and will include two general classrooms and two SEN Classrooms, a sensory area and increased staff parking spaces....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (4 Jul 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 has been an increase of 21% in tickets issued to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was granted approval for the provision of an 80m2 Modular Classroom and a 15m2 Modular Special Education Teaching room under my Department's Additional School Accommodation scheme. The project is devolved to the school authority. The school authority recently submitted Tender documentation. The review of this documentation is currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers to was approved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to build 1 Mainstream Classroom, 2 Special Education Teaching rooms, 2 Science rooms, 1 Staff room, 1 Technology and store room, 1 Science Preparation area, 1 Technology Preparation area & the removal of 7 prefabs. The project was devolved for delivery to the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: The school to which the deputy refers has been approved funding under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme 2021 for the provision of 1 x 149m2 Engineering Room, 1 x 59m2 Engineering Prep Room, 1 x 80m2 Construction Prep/Store area & 1 x 119m2 Home Economics Room. Investment and expenditure on Gyms/PE Halls are an element of the overall School Building Programme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: On the 24th February 2022, following a series of engagements at the WRC, a package to settle a claim on terms and conditions for grant-funded school secretaries was proposed, which Fórsa agreed to recommend to its members. A ballot was undertaken and the result was 95% agreement in favour of the deal. Since then the work to implement this agreement has been ongoing, in conjunction with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sports Funding (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department does not provide grants or funding schemes to the organisation to which the Deputy refers. In certain instances the Department provides funding to schools for the rent of land or premises for the purposes of temporary accommodation, typically pending the delivery of a school building project. In some cases, the rented land or premises is in the ownership of a local branch...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question under the Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. My Department has been in contact with the school regarding the progression of the project to the next stage and a decision on the application will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (4 Jul 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 has been an increase of 21% in tickets issued to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. 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 has been an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: I am aware that the costs associated with accessing primary and post-primary education place a financial burden on many families each year. A number of measures are in place to support those families most in need including the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Scheme and the School Meals Programme. Post-primary schools also currently receive a book grant from my Department which can be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: COVID-19 Special Leave With Pay is available to an employee who begins to display COVID-19 symptoms or receives a positive COVID-19 PCR/antigen test result. Any non-COVID-19 illness must be recorded by the employer as Sick Leave and the terms and conditions of the Sick Leave Scheme will apply. In relation to the concerns from the teacher whom the deputy is enquiring on behalf of, the teacher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: To date in 2023, I have met with the CEO of the State Examinations Commission (SEC), including other SEC senior staff, on three occasions. These dates are set out in the table below. I have also engaged with the CEO over the phone in addition to these meetings. My Department also has ongoing contact at official level with the SEC CEO and SEC officials in relation to issues that arise such as...