Results 1,021-1,040 of 19,404 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: I refer to Deputy Naughten's question on the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). NEPS is the psychological service of the Department of Education and provides educational psychology support to all primary, post-primary, and special schools. NEPS is a schools-based service and each NEPS psychologist is assigned to a group of schools. NEPS provides access for all schools to:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of school buildings under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme for a project to provide one mainstream classroom and two SET rooms. The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery. I can confirm to the Deputy, that in Q1 2024 department officials received a Stage 1/2a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: My department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my department to address concentrated educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: I would like to thank the Deputy for his enquiry in relation to this matter. The School Principal has been contacted directly in relation to the supply of the heating equipment and is being kept informed of developments in relation to this item. The school referred to is part of the Pilot Schools Public Private Partnership (PPP) Bundle. The relevant section within my Department, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for fabric defect works. The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works and accordingly, the school was advised to submit a revised scope of works, based on a leak detection test, along with an accompanying itemised cost breakdown. Once this is received the EWS team...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Schooling (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: The Constitution of Ireland acknowledges the family as the primary and natural educator of the child and sets out the rights and duties of the State in the matter of education. The Constitution makes explicit that the State does not oblige parents to send their children to any particular type of school. Parents are free to provide education in their homes, in private schools, or in schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: As provided for under the rules of the relevant pension scheme, in general, public sector employees including teaching and other pensionable employees in the education sector, may apply for retirement pension benefit on medical grounds. In the case of employees on the payroll of my Department, the application process involves a medical assessment by Medmark, the current Occupational Health...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government. The recruitment and appointment of teachers for teaching positions is managed by individual school authorities. There are over 3,700 individual school authorities, responsible for this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: I refer to Deputy Ring's question on the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). NEPS is the psychological service of the Department of Education and provides educational psychology support to all primary, post-primary, and special schools. NEPS is a schools-based service and each NEPS psychologist is assigned to a group of schools. NEPS provides access for all schools to:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: There are a number of elements to complete in relation to the construction of the bridge referred to by the Deputy such as the close out of the defects snagging process and installation of public lighting and work is progressing in this regard. The local authority has committed to commencing the 'taking in charge' process in relation to the bridge and my Department's project managers have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter the department’s pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project will provide five mainstream classrooms, one SET room and a two classroom Special Education Needs (SEN) base. The project was devolved to the school authority for delivery. The project remains under careful review...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide 2 Classroom SEN Base. The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery. A Stage 2b architectural report was received by my Department and reviewed from both a technical and cost perspective. The review was completed in August 2024 and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that a project was approved in 2023 under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for the school in question. This project is currently at stage 4 and will deliver an additional mainstream classroom and two special education tuition rooms in modular accommodation to the school. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: The requested information is set out in the table for the years 2020 to 2023, 2023 being the last year we have final enrolment data for. County Meath Enrolments 2020-2023 Year Primary Post-primary Total 2020 26,977 15,751 42,728 2021 26,516 16,241 42,757 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: The requested information is set out in the table for the years 2020 to 2023, 2023 being the last year we have final enrolment data for. Meath East Constituency Enrolments 2020-2023 Year Primary Post-primary Total 2020 13,237 7,293 20,530 2021 13,084 7,445 20,529 ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 437 and 438 together. My Department’s voted estimate for capital and current expenditure for 2025 stands at €11.8 Billion. This represents an increase of over €3.1 Billion or 36% since 2020 and includes €7.6 billion for pay related expenditure. Budget 2025 provides an increase of €712 million in core current funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023/24 school year over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: Significant progress has been made by my Department in implementing the Policy on Gaeltacht Education, and the Department is now progressing work on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. In addition to this work, a new unit has been established within the Department recently to develop a policy framework and action plan to support the teaching of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality, and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. In Ireland, all migrant children, including children of international protection applicants, children of migrant workers and unaccompanied minors can access primary and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department understands that there is land adjacent to the school in question, which is in the ownership of the school’s patron, that is being sold. My Department has no application from the school seeking additional accommodation or a site extension.