Results 1,061-1,080 of 19,412 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: The Project referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the department’s pipeline of school buildings to provide 4 General Classrooms, 2 SET Rooms, 1 Graphics Room & 3 Class SEN unit under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2021. This project has been devolved to the school authorities for delivery. A Stage 1 report was received and was reviewed from both a technical...

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: 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: 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 my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project will provide a 2 classroom SEN base and a General Purpose room. The project was devolved for delivery to the school authority. The Stage 1 Design Report for the project was received by my department. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Religious Discrimination (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: Under the Constitution, the provisions of article 44 recognise the rights of children to attend school without attending religious instruction at that school. Furthermore the provisions of Section 30(2) (e) of the Education Act 1998 provide that a school shall not require a student to attend instruction in any subject which is contrary to the conscience of the parent / guardian of the student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Religious Discrimination (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: Under the Constitution, the provisions of article 44 recognise the rights of children to attend school without attending religious instruction at that school. Furthermore, the provisions of Section 30(2) (e) of the Education Act 1998 provide that a school shall not require a student to attend instruction in any subject which is contrary to the conscience of the parent / guardian of the...

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

Norma Foley: A leave of absence may be granted to a teacher or special needs assistant who is unable to perform their duties due to a physical injury following physical contact from a third party that happened in the course of their duties and during approved school activities. In accordance with Section 14 of the Education Act 1998, it is the duty of the Patron to appoint, where practicable, a Board of...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy, that the decision-making authority for any amalgamation is the patron/trustees of the schools concerned and it is open to any patron to submit proposals to the Department for consideration. Any proposed change involves extensive consultation at local level and must be well planned and managed in a manner that accommodates the interests of students, parents,...

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

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy is currently based in temporary prefabricated accommodation. It is intended that this school will relocate to a former primary school building that is currently occupied by a special school pending the construction of a new school building for them. The Department will shortly be engaging with the patron of the school referenced by the Deputy regarding...

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: School Textbooks (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: As part of Budget 2023 over €50 million was allocated to provide free schoolbooks to all pupils in recognised primary schools, including special schools. More than 563,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools benefited from the new scheme from September 2023. Subsequently, on 5th of March this year, I announced details of a...

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

Norma Foley: In accordance with the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, schools are required to clearly set out their selection criteria, for application in the event of oversubscription, in their admission policies. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply...

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

Norma Foley: The Department of Education's Legal Services Unit is staffed by three legal advisers (both solicitors and barristers) seconded from the Attorney General's Office (AGO) and the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO). Two advisers were in place at year end 2023, with the vacancy filled in February 2024. The unit currently has two advisers in position with a vacancy since the end of September...

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: School Enrolments (5 Nov 2024)

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 Enrolments (5 Nov 2024)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department of Education. In line with the Department's demographic projections of post primary school place requirements, there has been a...

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

Norma Foley: The provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department. 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...

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

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department of Education. In line with the Department's demographic projections of post primary school place requirements, there has been a...

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

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department of Education. In order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a...

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

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). It is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural design process. The planning application was lodged in Quarter 1 2024 but a Request for Further Information (RFI) was issued. The Design Team has submitted a response to the RFI and it is currently with Kildare...