Results 10,181-10,200 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Education and the UNCRPD: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: The review of the Act is ongoing. It is our expectation that it will be completed in early 2023. There is a body of work ongoing in that regard and as Deputy Canney has said, it is the appropriate time to review it with a child-centred and child access approach at its centre. The review should be completed in early to mid-2023.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Education and the UNCRPD: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Senator. On the learning needs of all pupils and meeting the pupils at the place that you find them, I could not agree more. That fits in with the point the Senator raised as regards initial teacher education and what that involves in terms of inclusive education. That specifically involves meeting the learning needs of each individual student and meeting them at the place that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Education and the UNCRPD: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Chair. I have already outlined I am very committed to expanding summer provision to the widest of its capacity. I appreciate the Chair has a particular interest in that. There is significant interest and commitment at this committee regarding the expansion of summer provision. As I said, a body of work is under way to see how we can improve and enhance it even more for next...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Education and the UNCRPD: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: For sure. I apologise to Deputy Canney. I should have referenced that myself. It is the absolute objective that the closer we can bring transport to a child's immediate home, the better. A body is work is there. We are coming from a base that did not always provide for that transport, but it is the objective. It can be seen from the way we are growing the special classes that we are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 223 together. In Ireland, all migrant children, including children of international protection applicants, children of migrant workers and unaccompanied minors, can access primary and post-primary education in a manner similar to Irish nationals, until they have reached the age of 18 years. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: The joint major building project for the schools 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. The NDFA is currently undertaking the process of appointment of multi-disciplinary technical advisors (design teams) for these projects. Thereafter, it will ensure that the project progresses to design stage, obtains the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, there is a planned expansion of the capacity of the patronage of the school referred to in the area from 16-classrooms to 32-classrooms. This is linked to a major school building project for a new school building which will facilitate the expansion of another school in the area from 16 classrooms to 32 classrooms. In total, an additional 32 mainstream primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: In March I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme which means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme is being significantly expanded and eligible schools will now gain access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32million to my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department’s Wellbeing Policy and Framework for practice has given recognition to the importance of promoting wellbeing in education. The approach set out in the Wellbeing Policy is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include providing children and young people with opportunities to build core social and emotional skills and competencies,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Educational Institutions (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: The Action Plan on Bullying, which was published in January 2013, sets out my Department's approach to tackling bullying and promoting an anti-bullying culture in schools. The Action Plan contains 12 actions that focus on the provision of support for schools, teacher training, research and awareness raising and aims to ensure that all forms of bullying are addressed. A number of these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. The application is currently under assessment by my officials and the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision upon completion of the assessment process.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (15 Sep 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 announced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (15 Sep 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, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021. Under the terms of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: St David’s CBS in Artane was approved funding under the Summer Works Scheme for the upgrade of the heating system at the school. Following a tender process, the school authority appointed a consultant to progress the project. When the consultant attended the site to conduct survey works related to the proposed heating upgrade project, the consultant advised that a full review and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: In relation to the teacher referred to by the Deputy, I can advise that the form has been processed and returned to the teacher by the Payroll Division of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (15 Sep 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. I am conscious that buying textbooks is a significant cost for parents, and for this reason my Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books, including Book...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (15 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: My aim for Budget 2023 is to continue to deliver on the priorities outlined in the Programme for Government and to continue to support the students, staff, and families in the education sector. In the lead up to the Budget, my Department receives a number of pre-budget submissions from a number stakeholders in the education sector and from organisations involved in other areas of public...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (15 Sep 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 announced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (15 Sep 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 announced...