Results 9,161-9,180 of 19,968 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (7 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The average waiting time for a retired teacher to receive their pension is currently four weeks. In 2022 Pension Unit in my Department has received 1,211 applications for retirement with only 98 retired teachers waiting more than eight weeks to receive their pension.  Any delays encountered in receipt of pension payments were outside the control of Pension Unit. 

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (7 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: I have made enquiries in relation to the school referred to by the Deputy.  While the assigned psychologist is on maternity leave, the school continues to have access to support and development work delivered by the local team, critical incident response, advisory support from an allocated psychologist and pupil casework via the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Uniforms (7 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: As Minister for Education, I am acutely aware of the costs faced by families upon the return of their children to school. Policy 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 Management of all recognised primary and post-primary schools and to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (7 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The project referred to by the deputy has been devolved for delivery to Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB). The project consists of an extension & major refurbishment of existing buildings to provide for 4 Mainstream classrooms and 2 SET rooms. The project is currently nearing completion of Stage 3 of the architectural planning process. The tender submissions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (7 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the last school year over 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 at a cost of over €289m in 2021.  As part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: I have recently written to the Spiritan Order to remind the congregation of the importance of ensuring that all records relating to allegations of child sexual abuse are retained by the congregation. Consideration of any further steps which may be required is ongoing.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The Government acknowledges that the housing issue and the current price pressures present particular challenges and are a source of concern for all public service workers, including staff in the education sector. Housing remains a priority matter for Government, led by my colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Housing for All strategy delivers on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: I am aware that primary and post-primary schools are experiencing challenges in recruiting teachers, and I would like to assure the Deputy that my Department and I have taken significant steps to address this and will continue to do so. Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) represent an additional source of supply for substitute and full-time posts in 2022/23, with more than 3,600 primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circulars 0044/2019 and 0031/2011, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that earlier this year I announced an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle of education where the student is at the centre of their Senior Cycle experience which will: - Empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century - Enrich the student experience and build on what’s strong in our current system - Embed wellbeing and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (6 Dec 2022)

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: School Transport (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the last school year over 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 at a cost of over €289m in 2021.  In July 2022, Government...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department is currently assessing options with a view to identifying the optimum solution for the long-term needs of the school referred to by the Deputy.  This includes the consideration of the proposal to relocate to an alternative site/campus and also of other potential solutions, with a view to making the most appropriate provision possible for the school and for its current and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: I am aware that primary schools are experiencing challenges in recruiting substitute teachers. Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) represent an additional source of supply in 2022/23. Almost 1,900 primary NQTs have had their registrations finalised by the Teaching Council in 2022. The Department of Education runs a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of teachers at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: Contact has been made with Donegal County Council (DCC) by my Department to see if the road in question can be taken in charge by DCC. A written response is expected shortly. The Chief State Solicitors Office (CSSO) has also been consulted and is currently working with my Department's School Property Management section on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The last academic year completed before 27 June 2020 was 2019/2020, and the latest academic year for which we have finalised data is 2021/2022. There has been an increase of over 4,000 teachers employed in our schools over that 2-year period (2019/2020-2021/2022). Primary teacher numbers have increased from 37,839 to 40,351 and post-primary teacher numbers have increased from 29,093 to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. This investment will build on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 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 at a cost of over €289m in 2021.  The purpose of my Department's School...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. The information being sought will be collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy once available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area. Parents...