Results 10,841-10,860 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: We have not been found wanting in terms of the Cork Life Centre. We have worked closely with it and will continue to do that. It is important to say the entire purpose of this review was to look across all settings and secure a mechanism via the working group to ensure there is funding available, coherence of delivery of education and of governance and a variety of necessary measures to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: This was commissioned in late 2017. A group was put together and the report was finalised and delivered to me. On the overall responsibility or charge for the writing of the report, the report was born of consultation with a wide variety of parties and agreed by the entire group. There is no one individual. It is an agreed report by the group as a consequence of the public and on-line...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: There is no one person. It is an agreed report.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: It is my understanding, although it predates both of us in that respect, that the review of Youthreach was ongoing at the time the ESRI report was published. This report states that Youthreach will be taken into account. I acknowledge the report focuses very much on 13 to 15-year-olds. The Deputy and many here have personal knowledge and have engaged with Cork Life Centre. I acknowledge...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: While the review focuses primarily on children as defined by the Education (Welfare) Act, the overall aim of the report and the overall aim full stop is to ensure the greatest retention to leaving certificate. There is sufficient scope provided for within this working group to address all aspects, whether students in the 13 to 15 age bracket or those who are moving on towards leaving...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: The Senator, like Deputy Ó Ríordáin, raised the matter of the title. I want to be absolutely fair to and honest with both members in that I do not have any issue with the points they make on the title. The current title is the one that was given to the report when it was first commissioned in late 2017 and that is why I assume it remains in place; however, I have no issue...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge his personal interest in and engagement on this. I appreciate his point on progress between 2017 and now. I cannot say what the initial delay was. No doubt Covid had an impact but the important thing concerns where we are now and what we are going to do next. I see this report as a catalyst to allow the working group to go through each of the points the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: The terms of reference have not been completed yet but I will inform the Deputy as soon as they are.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: In the first instance, the focus is on those aged between 13 and 15 because Youthreach was in existence. People have said Youthreach itself is a very significant programme that meets a great need for many students. However, I hear the point being made on centres offering a facility to students beyond the 13-15 age bracket. There is scope for the working group to consider this and determine...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: Is this the Cork Life Centre?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: There have been a number of engagements between departmental officials and Cork Life Centre.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: I cannot say that unequivocally to the Deputy now. I will revert to him in due course. There has been engagement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: I again acknowledge that this report is not specific to any one centre.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: My objective is to ensure we give the maximum opportunity to our students to reach leaving certificate level, to achieve to the best of their ability and to be happy as they do so. I recognise and welcome that the report acknowledges the need for different types of education provision. That is very positive step forward. I would be supportive of any mechanism to meet the needs of children...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: We need to be very clear here. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan already acknowledged that considerable supports have been provided by the Department of Education. Throughout the Covid pandemic teaching hours and financial supports have been made available. The priority here is to ensure cohesion of delivery and a mechanism of funding. There needs to be cohesion of governance across these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Review of Out-of-School Provision Report and Education and Supports Provision for Ukrainian Students: Discussion (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: I have already received an invitation from the centre. I will do all that I can to see if I can fulfil that. I was very pleased to meet some of the students here. They also extended an invitation. I will do all that I can.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Education Supports for Ukrainian Students (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: Provision for the younger children will come under the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Senator mentioned language. More than 918 schools requested additional support relating to English as an additional language or additional teaching hours and that has been granted. We are also considering the live issue of tutors to teach English to speakers of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Education Supports for Ukrainian Students (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: As I said in my opening remarks, I concur that excellent work has been done, and continues to be done, by our schools. The Deputy clearly articulated the situation when he said they have come out of the challenges of the pandemic and moved into a new challenge. It has been my good fortune to have had the opportunity to visit many schools and see all of the work going on seamlessly and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Education Supports for Ukrainian Students (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. As I referenced earlier, we have a clear understanding of where we have capacity within our schools. It was for that reason I said in reply to Deputy Ó Ríordáin that we are working closely with the Department of Children, Equality Disability, Integration and Youth. It would be very helpful if we could match accommodation with our capacity. It is very hard...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Education Supports for Ukrainian Students (1 Jun 2022)

Norma Foley: I referenced that more than 918 of our schools applied for additional hours under English as an additional language teaching posts, which were granted. We also have the ESOL tutors. These are tutors who make themselves available, and will do so throughout the summer, particularly to adults but also to our post-primary students. We also have initiatives in our schools, for example, the Say...