Results 7,161-7,180 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 May 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 147,900 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. In addition, school transport scheme services are being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 157 together. As the Deputy will be aware, a major capital project for Blessington Community College is being addressed through my Department's Construction Programme. This project is currently at stage 2b of the architectural planning process. My Department has been engaging with Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB), as patron...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 May 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 147,900 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. In addition, school transport scheme services are being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. It is appreciated that practical difficulties can arise where family circumstances vary and differ, however, the Department's approach to the issue of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Welfare Service (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Since January 2021 Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) is under the remit of my Department. TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the Statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services the Home School Community...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 May 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 147,900 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. In addition, school transport scheme services are being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: A Minister-owned school site, Coláiste Chiaráin in Leixlip, has been identified as an option for potential redevelopment to accommodate a second school. The Trustees of Coláiste Chiaráin have agreed to allow the installation of temporary interim modular accommodation to meet the urgent accommodation needs for the school referred to by the Deputy for September 2023 and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Investment and expenditure on PE halls is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme. Almost 95% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to the Department that they either have a PE Hall, access to a nearby PE Hall, or a project in train that will deliver a new PE Hall which can be used as a sports...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The criteria for the award of Incremental Credit for previous experience is outlined in Circular 0139/2006 for special needs assistants (SNAs), and was agreed with the unions representing the Special Needs Assistants, school management representatives, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education. Section 4 of this circular covers previous relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Welfare Service (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: In line with the arrangements set out as part of the current Government formation, since January 2021 Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) is under my remit. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) and the School Completion Programme (SCP). The three TESS strands work...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I recently announced details of Ireland’s first national primary school book scheme, which is a permanent measure and will provide free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks, in recognised primary schools and special schools. More than 558,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, will benefit from this scheme. Guidance on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The Minister has offered to personally engage with the person concerned. The Minister is committed to providing supports to survivors of residential institutions. There has been ongoing engagement from Senior Officials in the Department with the named individual and this will continue. Furthermore, in the context of advancing proposals for the future supports for survivors of residential...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: An Occupational Health Strategy is in place as a supportive resource for teachers and SNA’s. The aim of this strategy is to promote the health of teachers and SNAs in the workplace, with a focus primarily on prevention rather than cure. The Occupational Health Strategy comprises the Employee Assistance Service and the Occupational Health Service (OHS). The OHS is in place to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The Summer Works Scheme plays an important role in the maintenance and upgrade of the condition of our...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Information in relation to consultancy expenditure in my Department is compiled annually in respect of the previous year and published online at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/department-of-education-and-skills- expenditure-on-consultancy/. The data in respect of 2023 will be published online in Q1 2024.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Bodies (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The information in respect of consultancy reports commissioned by state bodies is not held by my Department. Contact details for the state bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query. Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Education as at 03 February 2023 Name...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for individual school authorities, subject to procedures agreed upon under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). The recruitment of teachers is a priority area of action for the Department given the importance of ensuring that every child's experience in school is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The report on the Review of the Out of School Education Provision was published by my Department in May 2022. The report is available at gov.ie - Out-of-school education provision (www.gov.ie). An Implementation Group is established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the report. The Implementation Group consists of representatives from relevant Government...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. The project is devolved for delivery to the school authority and is being managed in two phases. The project will provide a GP/Dining area, alterations to existing building,19x General classrooms, 7x SET rooms, 2x Meeting rooms, 1x DP Office, 3 Classroom SEN base, 1x Art Room,...