Results 11,921-11,940 of 19,598 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: The current Physical Education (PE) at primary level, developed in 1999, is for children from junior infants to sixth class. The curriculum contributes to children’s overall development by helping them to lead full, active and healthy lives. It provides a balanced range of activities for children through the six strands, of which Aquatics is one.  The aquatics programme is...

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

Norma Foley: Building on the 2015-2020 Digital Strategy for Schools, and following an extensive consultative process with stakeholders and having regard to international best practice, the Department will shortly be publishing a new Digital Strategy for Schools. An Implementation Plan will be published soon thereafter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (10 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Data on the pupil-teacher ratio for all primary and post-primary schools is published regularly, and the figures for 2017-2021 are attached to this response.  It should be noted that the pupil-teacher ratio for 2021 is preliminary, as the academic year is not complete, but will be finalised later in the year. However, data on the pupil-teacher ratio for particular school characteristics,...

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

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the deputy has been devolved for delivery to Cork Education and Training Board (CETB). This project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural planning process. Once the Stage 2a Report submission is approved by my Department, the next step for the Design Team will be to obtain the statutory...

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

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that I would be happy to meet the group referred to. To work as a guidance counsellor in a recognised post-primary school a teacher must hold dual professional qualifications: that of post-primary teacherand that of post-primary guidance counsellor. There are sound educational and pedagogical reasons for the requirement to hold both as this is a complex role which...

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

Norma Foley: I announced yesterday the expansionof 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...

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

Norma Foley: In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school...

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

Norma Foley: I would like to assure the Deputy that I fully support improving educational outcomes for Travellers, and that includes ensuring that the school setting is a stable, secure, welcoming and inclusive learning environment. Developing knowledge and understanding of, and promoting Traveller culture and history in schools will help build a recognition of the important value of Traveller culture and...

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

Norma Foley: 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 those staff are employees of individual schools and responsibility for terms of employment rests with the school. The Department with school management bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on...

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, agreement in principle has been reached with the Executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, subject to the approval of the elected members of the council, for the sale of land to the Department at Mount Anville depot for the development of new permanent school facilities for Gaelscoil Laighean. Department officials are working in Dún...

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...

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

Norma Foley: The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) uses a problem-solving and solution-oriented consultative approach to support schools to meet the needs of individual pupils. NEPS works through the Department of Education’s Continuum of Support framework. NEPS psychologists can provide advice and guidance to school principals and teachers in relation to individual students’...

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, between 2016 and 2020 the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) undertook an extensive review of senior cycle programmes and vocational pathways. The NCCA’s Advisory Report on the Senior Cycle has been submitted to my Department for consideration. The report is both extensive and comprehensive in its scope. The subject of Senior Cycle...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that new schools are established by the Department on the basis of identified demographic demand in an area, and only after consideration of the capacity of existing schools to absorb the expected school place demand. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that the majority of schools have a general purpose room/Physical Education hall and practically all schools have outdoor play areas.  In addition, many schools, use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. Investment and expenditure on PE halls is an element of the overall...

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

Norma Foley: The following tabular statement contains the information requested by the Deputy. 2020 Minister/ MoS Special Adviser Employed from/to Annual Salary Pension Joe McHugh Ed Carty 01/01 – 27/06 €94,487 N/A Joe McHugh Mark O’Doherty 01/01 – 27/06 ...

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

Norma Foley: There are no commissions of investigation, established under the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, under the remit of the Department of Education. The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was established in 1999 and was subsequently put on a statutory basis pursuant to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act, 2000. The Commission was chaired by a High Court judge, Mr. Justice...

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

Norma Foley: Over the past number of years, my Department has been working on issues related to teacher supply in primary and post-primary schools. This work is led by the Teacher Supply Steering Group, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department. The technical report prepared by my Department ‘Developing a Teacher Demand and Supply Model for Ireland 2020-2038’ outlines the...

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

Norma Foley: The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. Budget 2020 provided for the re-instatement of the grant to cover the full cost of the Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for...

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

Norma Foley: The Department of Education’s STEM Education Policy Statement 2017–2026, published in November 2017, set out the ambitious goals and actions required to achieve and improve the STEM education experience and outcomes for all learners from early years to post-primary school. The STEM implementation plan 2017-2019 built on a range of reforms and initiatives already underway in...