Results 8,941-8,960 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Online Safety (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy’s interest in this area and indeed her shining a light on it. It behoves us to acknowledge the world in which we live today. Significant progress has been made by the Department. There is also a recognition that more needs to be done in this space and it is for that reason there is the review of the programmes we deliver. In the interim, we have made the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Staff (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: I appreciate that a body of work needs to be done in this regard. As the Deputy acknowledged, it is positive that this is now the work and consideration of the sub-committee. We must be clear that the Teachers' Conciliation Council is made up of a variety of bodies. It is not just the Department of Education. It is also made up of teachers' representatives, school management and the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Staff (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: For my own clarity, is that somebody who is working in the primary sector?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Staff (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: The current process as we know it has been in operation for more than 20 years now. Over the years, a number of amendments have been made. As we said, there is now an opportunity to address very specifically some of the issue that have been raised and, indeed, the wider issues I raised earlier. The fact is that this process has been operating for more than 20 years and within that period...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Accommodation (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: Gaelscoil Laighean is currently located in interim accommodation in a building at Kill Lane and a room is also rented from the Mount Merrion parish centre, which is located directly across the road. It is intended that the school will move to interim accommodation and a permanent site at Mount Anville for September 2023. With regard to the interim accommodation for Gaelscoil Laighean, an...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Accommodation (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: I want to be clear; the planning system is the planning system. In the first instance, however, I totally reject the Deputy's view in terms of the Department of Education and its delivery of school buildings and knowledge of planning. The Department has an extremely strong record of delivery in terms of school buildings. More than 360 school building projects were at construction during...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Environmental Schemes (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department has a strong record with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both national and international level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design and specification. The National Development Plan 2021-2030, published on 4 October 2021, provides for capital funding of more than €4.4 billion for investment...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Environmental Schemes (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: I agree that this is a very positive move, and I welcome the fact schools will be eligible for the programme and it will be fully funded for them. Much work is being done in this regard and it is the absolute intention to roll it out as quickly as possible. Obviously, this is not within the gift of just my Department, but we are working constructively to ensure it will be delivered as...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Environmental Schemes (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department has many award-winning schemes that are internationally recognised for their agenda and for the priority given by the Department in the area of climate action and sustainability, and we have a strong strategy in that area as well. I mentioned the pathfinder programme and the solar panel scheme, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Environmental Schemes (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: We are working on the finer detail of that.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Staff (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers were agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council, TCC. This council comprises representatives of teachers, school management and the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and Education. The council is chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission. The TCC meets at least every...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Transport (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: Deputy Ó Cuív referred to Yahoo and the difficulties in that regard. If he has any specific cases where an issue arose, I would appreciate if he could forward the email address to my Department. However, in the main, that is not the only means of communication with parents; there were others. There was public information and the closing dates were advertised. The responsibility...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Transport (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the last school year, more than 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The cost of the scheme in 2021 was €289 million. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Transport (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: More than 130,000 applications or registrations were received by 29 July and we have issued 127,800 tickets. That process is ongoing. The 127,800 tickets represent a 23% increase on previous years, including a 33% increase in concessionary tickets. Regarding the late application process, it is important for families to note that the application deadline was 29 April and that the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Textbooks (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: The Government recognises the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a financial difficulty and challenge for many families. Therefore, as part of budget 2023, I announced over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education system from September 2023. This measure will eliminate the cost to these families of all schoolbooks...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Textbooks (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: On the Deputy's reference to post-primary level, if we had an abundance of money, we would-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Textbooks (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: No, but I am just making the point. A sum of €50 million is available to me. I am beginning the process at primary level but it is my hope and expectation that it will in time progress to post-primary level. We already have a very successful book rental scheme, operated by 96% of our schools. With regard to engaging with book publishers and booksellers, schools will have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Textbooks (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: The Deputy, given his position as education spokesperson, will appreciate more than most the value of engaging across the table on any departmental initiatives. That has been a feature of everything we have done, particularly since I became Minister. That engagement will continue. It will specifically include, in respect of the working out of this, the lessons learned from what we did in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Textbooks (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: I have just said "with the partners in education". Any further discussions required with interested parties and central parties will take place. However, the first step is to engage with the partners in education.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: School Textbooks (24 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: Let us be clear that this should be led by the Department of Education and education partners.