Results 11,001-11,020 of 19,576 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The Leaving Certificate Applied is a two year Leaving Certificate available to students who wish to follow a practical programme with a strong practical and vocational emphasis. It is one of three Leaving Certificate options offered by the Department of Education. Where a school is considering the introduction of Leaving Certificate Applied, an application for school support can be made at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Site Acquisition (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has no role in relation to the planning process for the school project referred to by the Deputy. The site for the permanent accommodation for the school was recommended by the local authority as suitable for the development of school facilities and was acquired in conjunction with the local authority under the Fingal Model agreement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools. On the 24thFebruary, following a series of engagements at the WRC, a package to settle a claim on terms and conditions for grant-funded school secretaries was proposed, which Fórsa agreed to recommend to its members....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Site Acquisition (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: As part of my Department's standard general procedures for identifying potential sites for new schools and in line with protocols for the use of State Property Assets, State-owned lands were identified as a possible site for a new permanent building for the school referred to by the Deputy. A master planning exercise for the site in question commenced and is currently at draft stage. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your question to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Site Acquisition (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has no role in relation to the planning process for the school project referred to by the Deputy. The site for the permanent accommodation for the school was recommended by the local authority as suitable for the development of school facilities and was acquired in conjunction with the local authority under the Fingal Model agreement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The conveyancing stage of the acquisition process is ongoing for the site referred to by the Deputy. Draft contracts have been exchanged. It is expected that conveyancing will conclude shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme which uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction. My Department is considering the timeline for the progression to tender of a number of Design...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy is not being delivered by the NDFA. The project is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme which uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: I can advise the deputy that as set out in Circular 0052/2019 (primary) and 0053/2019 (post primary), an application for an exemption from the study of Irish should be made in writing by the parent/ guardian or student if aged 18+ to the school. Application forms, detailed guidelines and frequently asked questions are available on the website: www.gov.ie/en/service/irish-exemption/. An...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department occupies four main campuses in Marlborough Street and Blanchardstown in Dublin, Tullamore and Athlone as well as 41 local offices throughout the country. My Department has not incurred any costs in relation to roof cleaning and sanitisation in the past five years to date in 2022. The maintenance and upkeep of school grounds and buildings is a matter for school authorities....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Site Acquisition (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The permanent accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy is not being delivered by the NDFA. The project is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme which uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction. The conveyancing stage of the acquisition...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (19 May 2022)

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

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, my Department’s Design Guidelines for all new schools provides for outdoor multi use games areas (hard play areas) and the level of play space provided varies with the size of school. The majority of existing schools have a general purpose room / Physical Education hall and practically all schools have outdoor play areas. In addition, many schools, use adjacent...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: I am very appreciative of the work the committee is doing and of how it will feed into the entire process. I want to acknowledge that it is very positive for the Department of Education. I am pleased to be before the Joint Committee on Gender Equality to discuss the recommendations of the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality regarding norms and stereotypes in education. At the outset, I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (19 May 2022)

Norma Foley: The Deputy raised issues around STEM. In the first instance, I want to be very clear that we all understand it is extremely important young females see themselves as being fully participative in all STEM subjects and areas. There is a strong and ambitious programme of work set out in the Department’s STEM education policy statement. I recently published the gender balance in STEM...