Results 6,281-6,300 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: Officials from my Department recently met with representatives to discuss proposals for the introduction of a teacher relocation scheme. The Department is giving further consideration to this matter and will be in contact with representatives in due course. It should be noted that the Department meets on a regular basis with the school management bodies and the teacher unions on many...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Policy (4 Jul 2023)

Norma Foley: The Department has been examining the matter of how NEPS can continue to recruit adequate numbers of suitably qualified staff and continue to respond to the educational psychological needs of children in recognised primary and post-primary schools across the country. Following the introduction by the Department of a bursary to support Trainee Educational Psychologists in their third year...

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

Norma Foley: While my Department is aware of enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the areaSchool of choice –...

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

Norma Foley: The project the Deputy refers to has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a bundled school building programme. The shared education campus at Celbridge is in the bundle referred to as ‘Project Liffey’. A letter was issued by the Department to the schools to advise that their respective school had been included in the programme...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Textbooks (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I agree; this is a landmark moment in education. It is the right thing to do. A huge financial investment is involved, but we had to take the first step and the Department deemed it appropriate that that would relate to primary education. I am conscious of the benefit the scheme provides for parents and guardians because I meet them frequently and visit schools throughout the country. It...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses 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...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I thank all Deputies. I reiterate that more than 300 building projects are under way, including 40 new school buildings and 260 projects at existing schools across the country. Twenty-five of those school buildings are based in County Cork. That is almost 9%. A further 1,000 school building projects are in the pipeline at various stages, of which 165 are in Cork, which is almost 17% of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: Deputy O'Connor referred to Carrigtwohill, which I am familiar with, as he said, and the need for further development in that east Cork area. Looking at east Cork, it includes Christian Brothers School, St. Colman's Community College and St. Mary's High School Midleton as part of the programme.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: Could I have the floor? Pobalscoil na Tríonóide in Youghal, Coláiste Muire and Carrignafoy Community College in Cobh and Dromahane National School in Mallow are part of the programme. I did not mention the Patrician Academy in Mallow. Scoil An Athar Tadhg in Carrignavar and Ringaskiddy Lower Harbour National School are part of the programme. I am saying there is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Textbooks (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I think they will be getting worried to hear Deputy O'Sullivan is crossing into a different constituency. As Minister, I believe it is crucially important that children and young people are actively supported to access education in its fullest forms. The Government recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Textbooks (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I want to confirm that the provision is for all of our primary schools and special schools. There is no question. They are all included in it. Where there might be a need for additional resources or if the school finds it has additional students, or whatever the case might be, then as we have said in the guidelines that went out to the schools, direct contact has been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: The Deputy is correct. Where there is a desire to set up a school, the normal criteria is that it should have between a 600 and 1,000 pupil level available to it within the community. However, for the Gaelcholáistí, 400 is required. The aonaid are open to any school. They are entitled to approach the Department with the request to establish an aonad within the existing school. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I will take the last question first. The Department has a huge openness to working with anybody. Where there would be seen to be an interest and enthusiasm to establish an aonad, in the first instance, obviously, the school itself can approach the Department. If a need is identified an area not associated with the school, however, I would like to think there would be an openness in terms...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Accommodation (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: Through Project Ireland 2040, we are investing €4.4 billion over the period 2021 to 2025 to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost 1 million students and more than 100,000 staff involved in the education sector. The Department has a proven track record of delivery. During the period 2018 to 2022, just under 900 school buildings...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Patronage (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: Deputies Troy and Ó Ríordáin referred to divestment. I absolutely appreciate their bona fides in relation to advancing this programme as quickly as possible. I acknowledge that there is a Government commitment to do that and that there has been co-operation from various partners, in the first instance, in respect of the pilot programme. Somewhere along the line it gets lost...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Patronage (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: Congratulations on doing that. It was very dextrous of the Deputy altogether.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Patronage (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: The DEIS programme is extremely important. It speaks to educational disadvantage. We have the single greatest number of schools now involved in the DEIS programme. There was a very clear and transparent process for schools that did not meet the criteria. There was an appeals process and significant resources were put in place. I acknowledge that there will be children who are attending...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Patronage (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: We need to look at not just targeted measures, but also universal measures.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Patronage (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I want to be very clear at the outset. There is to be no bullying or coercion here. The pilot that has concluded was purposefully set out to gather the thoughts and the views. I acknowledge that in some instances there was no desire for change, and in others, there was huge desire for change. I absolutely accept that there must be a balanced approach. I also accept what Deputy Ó...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Scoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta (29 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta Ó Cuív, as ucht aird a tharraingt ar an éileamh atá ar oideachas lán-Ghaeilge faoi láthair. Mar Aire Oideachais, teastaíonn uaimse a chinntiú go ndéanfar soláthar cuí do dhaoine óga ar mian leo a gcuid oideachais a fháil trí mheán na Gaeilge. Mar chuid den...