Results 7,241-7,260 of 19,559 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: The abuse of children in any setting is a heinous crime and every effort should be made to bring the perpetrator to justice through the courts system. All reports of alleged abuse should be reported to the Gardaí. My Department takes child protection very seriously and considers that the protection and welfare of children is a fundamental responsibility of all involved in the care...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Apr 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 Leixlip ETNS for September 2023 and 2024. My Department also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: DEIS is the main policy initiative of my Department to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. Schools in the DEIS Programme are required to develop and implement three-year improvement plans as a condition of their participation in DEIS. Targets are set under key themes, such as attendance, retention, progression, literacy and numeracy, partnership, transition, well-being and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval has issued, to the school authority in question, for the provision of 2 x SEN classrooms. The 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 for this brief, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department provides a school-based psychological service to all recognised primary and post-primary schools through the application of psychological theory and practice to support the well-being, and the academic, social and emotional development of all learners. The NEPS service provides access for schools to:Psychological support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department has received an application for additional accommodation from the school referred to by the Deputy. My Department has been in contact with the school authorities in relation to this application and the assessment process is ongoing. A decision will be conveyed to the school authorities as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question. The accommodation needs of the school are being considered and a decision will issue to the school authorities as soon as possible in this regard. I can assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate accommodation to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Apr 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: Public Sector Pensions (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: The person concerned is a member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, a public sector pension scheme which was introduced in 2013. The provisions providing for membership of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme are set out in primary legislation namely at Section 10 of thePublic Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. In general the Single Scheme applies to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: Under the Education Act 1998, as amended, the school Board of Management, appointed by the Patron of each recognised school, is responsible for the management of a school and its staff. Teachers, in accordance with the Education Act, are employed by the school management authority of each individual school. The terms and conditions of the Career Break Scheme for teachers,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data in a way that takes account of the significant local and regional variations in demographic trends and enrolment projections, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. The school planning areas provide a useful means of projecting demographic demand in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of the challenges faced by educators and parents in relation to costs of digital technology, including tablets, and my Department continues to work to help support schools and families meet these costs. In 2017 a circular letter issued to schools with measures to be adopted to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs including such ICT devices:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukraine War (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: The number of Ukrainian students enrolled in schools is set out by county in the table below, at primary and post-primary level, as of 31 March 2023. I regret that I am not in a position to provide statistics at the level of detail requested by the Deputy at this time. My Department continues to publish figures on the enrolment of Ukrainian children each month. The latest press release of 5...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval has issued for the provision of 1 x SEN classroom at the school referred, to cater for enrolments. The 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 for this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for my Department. In order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: It is my Department's intention to progress the accommodation brief for the school referred to by the Deputy as quickly as possible. Key priorities for my Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023/24 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (25 Apr 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 Transport (25 Apr 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: Legislative Measures (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: The Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill has passed all stages of Seanad Éireann, and passed Second Stage in Dáil Éireann on 8thJuly 2021. Officials in my Department are continuing to engage with stakeholders including the National Parents Council and the Office of the Ombudsman for Children on matters pertaining to the Bill in advance of the Bill progressing to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Circulars (25 Apr 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 277 together. As Minister for Education, I am acutely aware of the costs faced by families upon the return of their children to school. Ultimately, decisions on school uniforms is a matter for individual schools and Boards of Management. Taking the above into account, my Department’s Circular 0032/2017, was issued to the Boards of...