Results 9,201-9,220 of 19,968 for speaker:Norma Foley

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,...

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,...

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,...

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

Norma Foley: As part of Budget 2023, I announced over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from September 2023. This measure will eliminate the cost to these families for all school books at primary school, including workbooks. It delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to extend the free school book pilot, currently in 102 DEIS...

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.  The purpose of the...

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

Norma Foley: The permanent school project for the post-primary school referred to by the Deputy is scheduled to be completed in Q4 2023. My Department has been liaising with the school's patron body, Cork Education and Training Board, with regard to the requirements for short-term interim accommodation at the school's current location pending the move to the permanent school building in Q4 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (6 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: With regard to funding provision, my Department provides a number of policies and programmes which are supportive of afterschool clubs or activities for students at risk of educational disadvantage.   DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of the Department of Education to address educational disadvantage at school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (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 Transport (1 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. 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 the Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: Having assessed the school's current accommodation and future needs, it is proposed that the optimum solution for the school in Lisdoonvarna referred to by the Deputy, is the provision of a new school building at a new site. The Department is in discussions with the patron in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (1 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: It is the responsibility of my Department to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted.It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to draft, publish and implement a school admission policy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The major construction project for the school referred to by the Deputy commenced on site in October 2020. Works are progressing satisfactorily on site and it is anticipated that the school will be ready for occupation in quarter 1 2023.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT Programme. ADAPT is an acronym which stands for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering". 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (1 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together. As part of Budget 2023, I announced over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from September 2023. This measure will eliminate the cost to these families for all school books at primary school, including workbooks. It delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 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, Project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (1 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy was established in 2019 to meet emerging requirements for special school places in the area. The school is co-located with Rath Dara Community College. Both schools are under the patronage of Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB and my Department's engagement with the patron is ongoing regarding the schools' requirements with respect to accommodation and associated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (1 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department makes a return of contracts awarded without a competitive tender as part of the annual Appropriation Account. The details of these contracts with a value over €25000 are listed in tabular form for 2020 and 2021 on the tables attached. Nineteen cases in 2020 and twenty cases in 2021 were awarded on a non-competitive basis. The report in respect of 2022 contracts will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Dec 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. The initial approval was revised in May 2022 and will provide for the following accommodation at the school; Six General Classrooms, One WC for Assisted Users, Two...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 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, Project...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Staff (30 Nov 2022)

Norma Foley: I am very aware that primary and post-primary schools are experiencing challenges in recruiting substitute teachers. Newly qualified teachers, however, represent an additional source of supply for substitute and full-time posts in 2022 and 2023, with more than 3,600 primary and post-primary newly qualified teachers registered with the Teaching Council. Significant additional posts have been...