Results 7,521-7,540 of 19,968 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: There has been no delay in the making of payments to contractors in respect of contractual obligations for projects that are at construction. These payments continued as normal and within prompt payment guidelines. As you are aware an agreement was secured with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to guarantee and support the rollout and continuation of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The Large scale capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 4 - Construction. The request for an additional change under the contract is currently under review by my Department's Professional & Technical section, upon completion of this review my Department will be in further contact with the school and design team.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The Large Scale Capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. A tender report is currently under review by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Pensions (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Officials in my Department are reviewing the records of the person concerned with a view to providing the relevant data to assist her in her application for a state contributory pension, which is payable by Department of Social Protection. It is expected a response will shortly issue directly to the person concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: On 2 September 2022, I announced that adjustments would be made to the assessment arrangements for students due to sit State examinations in 2023, to take account of the disruption to their learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This provided clarity, certainty and reassurance to students, their parents/guardians, teachers and schools at the start of the 2022/2023 school year. The changes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Staffing arrangements for the 2023/24 school year are available in Circular 0006/2023. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements include a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Information and Communications Technology (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The current position is that my Department and officials do not presently use ChatGPT or any other form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate official text. No meetings or risk assessments have yet been held regarding its use and no such software is installed on my official's devices.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (9 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 (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was granted funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide a two classroom Special Education Needs base & 3 Special Education Teaching rooms. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and is currently at the Design stage of the architectural planning process. Upon receipt of the stage 1/2a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: As stated in Parliamentary Question No. 265 of 25thApril 2023, 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 Department of Education is not the employer of teachers....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (9 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 Curriculum (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The current Physical Education (PE) curriculum at primary level, developed in 1999, is for children from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum contributes to children’s overall development by helping them to lead full, active and healthy lives. It provides a balanced range of activities for children through the six strands, of which Aquatics is one. The aquatics programme is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Reviews (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: There have been no reviews of Acts carried out by my Department in line with the provisions of that Act from 2000 to date. The Deputy may wish to note that the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 is currently being reviewed. The review is due to be complete this year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the state examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I have not had any bilateral engagement with my British counterpart yet in 2023, but would intend to do so when the opportunity arises.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: The Large Scale Capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. A tender report is currently under review by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department provides specific English Language support to schools with pupils newly arrived into the country that have English as an additional language. The school referred to by the Deputy has an allocation of 20 hours per week based on the number of new entrant pupils enrolled, as set out in the NE-EAL application form. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval in principle has issued to the school in question for the provision of 6 x Special Educational Tuition rooms under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. My Department is currently reviewing the procurement report submitted by the school in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (9 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 Uniforms (9 May 2023)

Norma Foley: Under the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management of a school is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. The Board of Management is accountable to the Patron of the school. Circular 0032/2017 sets out the principles of cost-effective practice to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of returning to school. Under these measures, schools should select school uniform...