Results 8,321-8,340 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: With respect to the operation of private for-profit companies on school grounds, there is guidance concerning the usage of school buildings for non-educational use. These Guidelines on the use of School Buildings outside of School Hours were published in October 2017 and are available on the Department's website. By way of background, the use of school facilities lies with the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. Budget 2020 provided for the re-instatement of the grant to cover the full cost of the Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Cork Education and Training Board (CETB). I am pleased to advise that the Stage 2a meeting took place at the end of November 2022. Officials from my Department met with Cork ETB and the full Design Team where a number of recommendations were made. The design team was requested to address these recommendations and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware for school planning purposes, the Department of Education divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: Assessment is an enabler of effective teaching and learning. Section 22 of the Education Act requires schools “to regularly evaluate students and periodically report the results of the evaluation to the students and their parents”. To support this legislative requirement, primary schools implement standardised testing on an annual basis during the period May/June for all pupils...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB). This is a Campus project.  This project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural planning process. The Department received the Stage 2a Report from GRETB in January 2023. The Department has arranged a Stage 2a meeting with GRETB for the 9th February...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 165 together. As set out in the Programme for Government, this Government is committed to developing inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and SPHE across primary and post-primary schools. In giving effect to this commitment, my Department continues to work closely with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). A draft...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, the school in question, has been awarded funding for the purchase of a Modular Accommodation Unit under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. A final approval letter confirming same has issued to the school authority, which outlines the total grant allocation. The project is devolved to the School Authority for delivery.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: Changes to the duration and content of all initial teacher education (ITE) programmes were made in response to recommendations in the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among children and Young People 2011-2020 and were incorporated into the Teaching Council’s Policy Paper on the Continuum of Teacher Education and Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The National Development Plan sets out the national priorities and funding levels for the school building programme. Key priorities under the National Development Plan 2021 to 2030 include: Continuing to cater for additional capacity requirements - Provision of accommodation for special classes with a particular emphasis on ramping up provision at post-primary level to facilitate a smooth...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The planned establishment of a new primary school in 2021 to serve the Bray/Woodbrook Shanganagh school planning area was announced in 2018 as a result of a countrywide demographic exercise. Further analysis has since been conducted on the necessity for the establishment of a number of planned new schools, including the school to serve this school planning area, taking into account a number...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (2 Feb 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 (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: Gaelscoil Laighean is currently located in interim accommodation in a building at Kill Lane & also a room is rented from Kill O’ the Grange Parish Centre which is located directly across the road. It is intended that the school will move to interim accommodation on their permanent site at Mount Anville for September 2023. In relation to the interim accommodation for Gaelscoil...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The School to which the deputy refers has been approved funding under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to provide the following works: 2 x Classroom SEN Base , 5 x 58.6m2 General classrooms, 1 x 15m2 Pastoral Office, 5 x 15m2 Offices, 2 x SET, 1x textile room, 1 x Music Room, 1 Science Lab 88.6m2 & 1 x 38.5m2 Prep area. The Stage 2a Report is currently under review by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, the Summer Works Scheme is the funding mechanism for dealing with more significant improvement works that are usually carried out during school holiday periods to minimise disruption to the operation of schools. As part of it’s planning for 2023 and beyond, my Department's officials are working on the arrangements for the next phases of the summer works...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT Programme. The ADAPT Programme uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning to Tender and Construction. The Project Manager has recently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my Department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level, in a targeted and equitable way, across the primary and post-primary sector. The renewed DEIS Plan published in 2017 sets out the vision for future...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department is fully committed to creating safe and supportive environments in all schools, fostering an atmosphere that is welcoming and inclusive for every student, including LGBTQ+ students, to supports all students to achieve their full potential. My Department is providing a broad range of resources to support schools to develop positive whole-school approaches. It has provided...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the building project for the school to which he refers is being devolved for delivery to Galway & Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB). The project will provide for the development of two schools consisting of a 41-classroom primary school including 5-classroom SEN and an 8-classroom primary school with 2-classbase SEN. The Service...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (2 Feb 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...