Results 11,901-11,920 of 19,598 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries and caretakers 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.  The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for these staff under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm that my Department received an application for capital funding in 2021 for a new sports hall from the school referred to by the Deputy. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early Childhood Care and Education (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for early years education outside the formal education system. However, my Department has a key role in supporting quality within the sector and works closely with DCEDIY.    My Department has also historically funded a number of pre-school services in schools in areas at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Infrastructure (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The delivery of high quality internet connectivity for all schools is a key objective of my Department. It is accepted that good connectivity is essential to ensure that schools are facilitated to progress the embedding of digital technologies in teaching and learning and for the implementation of new and revised curriculum. My Department operates the Schools Broadband Programme at an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: A total of 7,086 teachers were recorded on the Department’s Payroll system as absent from the workplace in February 2022 due to (a) displaying COVID-19 symptoms, (b) having a positive PCR/antigen test result or (c) being contacted by the HSE to inform them they are a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case. This figure excludes Education and Training Boards, as they have their own...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The provision of Irish-medium education is a priority for my Department and this Government, and we share a strong commitment to increasing the number of Irish-medium places available and providing suitable accommodation in this regard. As the Deputy may be aware, in early 2021 I approved a proposal for a new satellite model of Irish-medium post-primary provision to be piloted in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I announced yesterday the expansion of the DEIS programme benefitting 347 schools. These schools were identified as having the highest levels of educational disadvantage. In the 2022/23 academic year there will be 1,194 schools in the DEIS Programme - 960 Primary and 234 Post Primary. This will also add a €32million increase in my Department's expenditure on DEIS programme from 2023....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Building on 2015-2020 Digital Strategy for Schools, and following an extensive consultative process with stakeholders and having regard to best international practice, the Department will shortly be publishing a new Digital Strategy for Schools. The continued availability of high quality digital content and how digital technologies will continue to support accessibility and inclusion in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukrainian War (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the Government’s position that the continuing Russian military action against Ukraine is illegal and immoral. The war in Ukraine has caused a humanitarian crisis and the Government is committed to welcoming people fleeing war in Ukraine and seeking protection in Ireland. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department has in place detailed design guidelines for primary and post-primary schools, which are available on my Department's web-site and currently provide for a standard range of servery and eating facilities in the design of new and refurbished schools.  In Primary schools, a servery of 8.0m² in area is provided.  At Post Primary level a kitchenette,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: For admission to school in September 2021 all schools nationwide drafted new admissions policies under the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. These newly revised admission policies were approved by the patron, following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending the school.  The revised school’s admissions policy is published on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school authority referred to by the Deputy.  Supplementary information has been requested from the school authority and once this has been received, and the assessment completed, a decision will be conveyed directly to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: In determining the approach to be taken to the 2022 Leaving Certificate examinations, I met with the Advisory Group on State Examinations, which has representatives of students, parents, teachers, school managerial bodies, the further and higher education sector, and the State Examinations Commission. I also met with the members of the advisory group on a bilateral basis.  I listened...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) is the main policy instrument of my Department to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. The DEIS programme focuses on targeting additional resources at those schools with the highest concentrations of students who are at risk of educational disadvantage. This is based on the existence of a ‘multiplier effect’,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I announced yesterday the expansion of the DEIS programme benefitting 347 schools. These schools were identified as having the highest levels of educational disadvantage.  In the 2022/23 academic year there will be 1,194 schools in the DEIS Programme - 960 Primary and 234 Post Primary. This will also add a €32million increase in my Department's expenditure on DEIS programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capital Expenditure Programme (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. This investment will build...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Educational Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.  I wish to advise the Deputy, that the Department has not yet received an application for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department have been working closely with both Galway City Council and Galway County Council to identify and acquire a Permanent Site for the Galway Educate Together Secondary School under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding. To date, following extensive site identification and assessment exercises, a number of permanent site options have been identified in both the East of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and the Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.  The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for these staff under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I announced yesterday the expansion of the DEIS programme benefitting 347 schools. These schools were identified as having the highest levels of educational disadvantage.  In the 2022/23 academic year there will be 1,194 schools in the DEIS Programme - 960 Primary and 234 Post Primary. This will also add a €32million increase in my Department's expenditure on DEIS...