Results 6,621-6,640 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and advise the following: In 2018, the NCSE was requested by the then Minister for Education to provide policy advice on future provision in special schools and special classes. The request was made in the context of significant year on year increases in special class provision and Ireland’s ratification in 2018 of the United Nations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval has issued under the Additional School Accommodation scheme at the school in question for 4 additional classrooms. This project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This approach supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises assistance to the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: The school which the Deputy has referred to was approved funding under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme for the provision of 1x General classroom, 1x Music room, 1x Textiles room, 1x Art room, 1x Graphics room, 1x Multimedia room, 1x Science lab, 1x Science Prep area, 2x Technology and shared Prep area, 3 Classroom SEN base School. The project has been devolved to the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme has issued to the school in question for the provision of six general classrooms under my Department's Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Programmes (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: There are no plans at present to introduce the kind of driver education programme the Deputy refers to into the curriculum. Accordingly, no costing exercises in relation to this have been carried out by my Department. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has been involved for a number of years in providing a comprehensive integrated road safety education programme in pre-school, primary,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Programmes (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: There are no plans at present to introduce First Aid into the Leaving Certificate curriculum. Accordingly, no costing exercises in relation to this have been carried out by my Department. The curriculum in second level schools must meet an extensive range of needs in catering for the cognitive, emotional, imaginative, aesthetic, social, physical and moral development of students, and in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategies (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 sets out my Department’s policy approach in terms of embedding digital technology across the curriculum and in all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment. Online safety and the safe and ethical use of digital technologies is a key component of the Digital Strategy. Supports and resources in the area of online safety and digital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: In March 2022, I announced an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle where the student is at the centre of their experience which will:Empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st centuryEnrich the student experience and build on what’s strong in our current systemEmbed wellbeing and reduce student stress levelsThe redeveloped Senior Cycle will involve the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (13 Jun 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: School Curriculum (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 533 and 534 together. Access to Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is an important right for students. This is reflected in the Programme for Government, which states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools. SPHE is a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: Access to sexual and health education is an important right for students. Schools have a responsibility to provide for this, in consultation with parents, having regard to the ethos of the school. Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary junior cycle. Relationships and Sexuality Education (or RSE) is required at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 as inserted by section 7 of the Education (Admissions to schools) Act 2018 provides for an appeal where a board of management, or a person acting on behalf of the board of management (normally the school principal) refuses to admit a student to a school, where the decision to refuse admission is due to the school being oversubscribed. A three person...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: There are extensive training and curricular supports available to schools, including through the Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) curriculum, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), Webwise.ie and the Department funded national anti-bullying website www.tacklebullying.ie to assist schools in the development of policies and practices on the prevention of bullying and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I commend the representatives of Comhairle na nÓg County Roscommon for supporting this important wellbeing and mental health initiative at their Annual Youth Conference in October 2022. The area of wellbeing and the promotion of positive mental health is a priority for the Department of Education. This includes promoting emotional wellbeing and resilience and positive coping skills,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under my Department's Additional School Accommodation Scheme for the provision of a two special education needs base, including a soft play area and a sensory garden. The stage 1/2a architectural design report was submitted by the school authority for review by my Department. The report was reviewed by my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Communications (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: The Department had a total of 71 Twitter video posts between 1 May 2022 and 30 April 2023, of which 50 (70%) were closed captioned/subtitled. 17 (24%) of the posts contained subtitles that were translated into Irish or another language. A total of 28 videos were posted on LinkedIn between 1 May 2022 and 30 April 2023, of which 22 (78%) were closed captioned/subtitled. Eight (28%) of the posts...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: In line with my Department’s Statement of Strategy, available online at Department of Education Statement of Strategy 2021-2023, my Department is committed to actively supporting the furtherance of inclusive environments in our schools and education centres. We want to ensure that students of all backgrounds and additional needs have the confidence and reassurance to reach their full...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 543, 545, 594 and 595 together. Under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 to 2020 overall investment of €210m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in annual grant funding. This funding was to support schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to embed the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (13 Jun 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. 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 cannot be met by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (13 Jun 2023)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that there are no plans at present to introduce any new languages to the Leaving Certificate Curriculum. Languages Connect – Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017 – 2026 aims to increase and diversify the range of languages taught and learned. Under the 1st Implementation plan 2017 – 2022, significant progress has...