Results 8,681-8,700 of 19,968 for speaker:Norma Foley

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The Deputy's initial point was on the provision of places for pupils in Limerick. Specifically on that issue, recently over 100 additional places have been provided in Limerick, 44 of which have been provided in recent weeks. There is a school in a position to make provision for the 26 pupils the Deputy referred to. Principals on the ground, particularly the chair of the Limerick...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I do not have an issue with that. I appreciate the Deputy's graciousness in accepting that there has been considerable investment in Limerick city. I have had the privilege of witnessing much of the work. I visited on several occasions. I referred to post-primary schools but developments at primary level are equally important. At primary level, a project for a new 32-classroom school...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy's acknowledgement that considerable progress has been made. The design team has been appointed and the project is currently at planning stage. These are all positive landmarks for the school community. The project was devolved to the ETB, which is charged with responsibility for informing the patrons of the progress of the project as it is ongoing. I acknowledge...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge the excellence of education that is being delivered there every day. I also acknowledge the expectation of school communities that we would deliver as quickly as possible. From the point of view of the ETB, given that the project is devolved to it, there are particular steps that have to be taken, whether that is in terms of design, planning or whatever. It is positive that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Textbooks (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: My Department’s statement of strategy sets out the vision and mission of the Department for an educational system where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. Its goal is to ensure equity of opportunity in education and that all pupils are supported to fulfil their potential. Since June 2020, and over the past...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Textbooks (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy's support and want to acknowledge that there has been almost unanimous support within the Chamber for this measure. He is correct and I am conscious that the information needs to be in schools soon so that they have the opportunity to do what needs to be done in terms of the scheme. I recognise that schools will need to have this have this information available to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Textbooks (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: Schools will have the autonomy to purchase the books from their nearest and local provider, or whomever they have an existing relationship with. I am conscious that many schools have strong relationships with their local bookshop or local book provider and that autonomy will continue. The schools will make the decision as to where they will source the books. The funding that is being...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge the Deputy's engagement on, and interest in, this particular project. I am pleased to advise that the project on a greenfield site was approved for delivery by my Department for the school in question. The project provides for four mainstream classrooms and one special education needs, SEN, base under the Department's timber modular framework. The site was transferred from...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: 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, more than 147,900 children, including more than 18,000 children and young people with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In addition, school transport...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The Deputy is correct. Some 147,900 young people benefit from the scheme. He is also right that the review is a considerable body of work. Phase 1 has been completed. The consultation alone involved consulting with thousands of parents. It also involved consultation with stakeholders, providers in the area and with best practice with regard to what is happening in other European...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy's points. As a consequence of what was introduced last year, we have seen a 25% increase in provision of places for students on the school bus system, that is, 25,600 places and there has been a 26% increase in the allocation of special education places. There has been a considerable increase in availability of places in the school transport system. I take the...

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

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that investment and expenditure on PE Halls is an element of the overall School Building Programme. The provision of GP rooms and PE Halls, at primary and post primary level respectively, and outdoor hard play areas, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings. This is also the case where a major building or refurbishment project is being...

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System 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.  Additionally,...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to thank the Deputy for the opportunity to give an update on the review of my Department's 'Guidelines on the Use of School Buildings Outside of School Hours'. My Department has and will continue to support and encourage the use of school buildings for community purposes, where feasible, and this will remain a core feature of the guidelines. My Department first published the...

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

Norma Foley: The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for the Department. Additional Special Education Teaching (SET) resources are provided under the SET model and are allocated to support our most vulnerable learners. This is also the case for SNAs. SET resources provided to schools are based on the special education needs of the pupils enrolled and should be...

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

Norma Foley: The Government’s objective is to have at least 400 multi-denominational schools in the primary system by 2030 to improve parental choice.  I fully support this commitment and I am working with my Department and stakeholders in this respect.   In recent years there has been progress towards increasing the numbers of multi-denominational primary schools with the...

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: Education Policy (2 Feb 2023)

Norma Foley: The voice of parents and that of children and young people is of critical importance to me as Minister and to my Department in all of our work.  To assist with this, my Department provides funding to ensure that parents and students are supported to have national representation. Since 1985, the National Parents Council post primary (NPCPP) has been the organisation recognised as...

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

Norma Foley: I am fully committed to ensuring every child and young person has access to modern, inclusive sex education.  The Programme for Government states that ‘this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and SPHE across primary and post-primary schools, including an inclusive programme on LGBTI+ relationships.’  This reflects that access to...

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

Norma Foley: The Government’s objective is to have at least 400 multi-denominational schools in the primary system by 2030 to improve parental choice.  I fully support this commitment and I am working with my Department in this respect.  In recent years there has been progress towards increasing the numbers of multi-denominational primary schools with the vast majority of new...