Results 7,221-7,240 of 19,968 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 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 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% tickets issued to eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Records (24 May 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department currently provides historic employment records to school employees paid by the Schools Payroll Division on formal request. If these records are readily available from computerised payroll records, a report is issued to the employee within a number of days. In the case of older paper historic payroll records that have to be retrieved from archives there may be a delay involved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Records (24 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The payroll systems used by my Department's Payroll Division maintain payroll records for teachers and other schools staff in readily retrievable format for the vast majority of schools staff. Staff from my Department regularly issue payroll records derived from these computerised system. As the Deputy may be aware, schools remain the employers of teachers and schools staff and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (24 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Tá próiseas comhairliúcháin poiblí don pholasaí nua don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht á reáchtáil ag mo Roinn faoi láthair. Tháinig an chéad tréimhse den chomhairliúchán seo, ina raibh ceistneoir ar líne agus glao ar aighneachtaí i scríbhinn, chun críche ar an 30 Eanáir...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that Guidance Counsellors in the post primary school sector are paid in accordance with the salary scale for Post Primary teachers. The average salary for a Post Primary teacher is €73,270. This figure includes provision for Employers PRSI and subsitution costs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The number of students per guidance counsellor is an interesting question as it does not have a straightforward answer. Allocations for Guidance are calculated in accordance with the type of school in question (DEIS / Non DEIS and Fee paying). Allocations for Guidance are calculated by reference to the approved enrolment, including PLC pupils. The allocation is the difference between the PTR...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (24 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved a project under the Department’s Additional Accommodation (ASA) Scheme which provided for the one Mainstream Classroom. The delivery of the project was devolved to the school authority and earlier this year, the project was approved to proceed to planning stage. As an interim measure, the school were also approved to tender for modular...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I thank you, a Chathaoirligh, and the committee members for the invitation to be here today. I look forward to engaging with them on issues they might wish to draw to our attention. I am accompanied today by a number of officials from the Department of Education: Martina Mannion, assistant secretary with responsibility for special education and inclusion; Frank Hanlon and Martin McLoughlin...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I am happy to follow up on the case that the Deputy raised in terms of two schools in an area being full and children trying to access a third school outside of their area. It is an issue that has been raised with me by a number of Deputies. We are very clear that if the two schools within the immediate vicinity are full and if the students have applied to both and been told they are full,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: All of our new builds will also have dedicated special education provision. Considering we have a considerable number of new builds, with 180 new builds last year and additional accommodation at 300 locations at various stages of development this year, it is positive going forward that this is an intrinsic part of new developments when planning and building.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Yes, it has been received by the Department and the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, and I are currently considering it, but we have also invited the consideration of officials within the Department, especially the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and the inspectorate, so there would be a wide embrace of the views expressed in the report. It is our intention to publish it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: My plan is that it will be before we fall into recess, most certainly. That is the current plan anyway.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: On the national co-ordinator for special schools, we are placing particular emphasis this year on supporting special schools to run the programme. As I said, we have seen a 50% increase in that, which is positive, and we hope to build on that. The function of the national co-ordinator is to take the overall view and support and engage where there might be challenges. We have deliberately...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Yes, it is positive but we are working towards it being better and I want to acknowledge that. I also want to acknowledge the role of the SNAs. Our schools could not function without the support that is given by them. The Senator is correct that we worked hard this year to have an earlier announcement. It is my ambition, to the best of my ability, to be able to deliver it on an ongoing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. On the last point, I agree with her that we need a stronger representation of SENOs on the ground. They are the local connection to the parents, and their role is an invaluable one. We recognise that, and provision has been made in the budget to increase that. If we have to do more, we will continue to do more in that space. Deputy Tully is right, and Senator Wall has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: It is an ideal situation to have the premises, but where there is not a premises available or we have a premises but for a variety of reasons it might not suit or whatever, it will be at the discretion of the board of management. Going back to what I said earlier, however, we will be able to showcase maybe after the summer a few different models. Mr. Hanlon said there is maybe one school...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Right.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: That is fine. I hear what the Cathaoirleach is saying.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (23 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Yes.