Results 11,981-12,000 of 19,598 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy as follows: The most up to date guidance in respect of the higher risk categories, for the education sector staff was published by the HSE in July 2021. As with all other guidelines around public health measures, my Department has been led by expert medical advice provided by the Government through the HSE and other relevant public bodies.  This HSE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The process referred to by the Deputy is outlined in a letter to school management bodies on 12 August 1998. The issue was part of the agreement on the pay and conditions  of school secretaries, considered under Clause 2 (iii) of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, and subsequent revisions of this agreement have been agreed through standard union engagement, most recently in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (8 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: School Funding (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: As funding from my Department is not allocated or recorded on a county basis I am therefore not in a position to readily provide details on the amounts paid to schools in County Cork over the extensive period of time set out in the Deputy's Parliamentary Question. My Department is reviewing the information that is available to it and I will provide any such information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The DEIS programme provides for a range of supports including smaller class sizes, additional teaching posts, enhanced book grants, school meals, curriculum supports, priority access to Continuing Professional Development and Home School Community Liaison Coordinators. The Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) scheme is a key support provided under the DEIS programme and is one of three...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €17.2 million in 2021 to all of these schools. School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: At the outset, I want to acknowledge the key role played by student teachers in supporting our schools throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly in providing substitution cover. This support was vitally important to ensure that our schools remained open for pupils. In this regard, a framework for adapted School Placement arrangements was developed by the Department of Education and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that the Post Primary Payroll Division of my Department has completed a Department of Social Protection UP2CD claim form, and sent this form to the teacher concerned, on 1st March, 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: There are currently 1480.72 full time equivalent staff employed by my Department.  The current annual salaries of the highest and second highest paid persons employed by my Department are €205,199 and €172,888 respectively. All staff in my Department are paid in line with the relevant DPER circulars setting out the Civil Service salary scales, the most recent of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 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 Accommodation (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school authority 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: In the 2020-21 academic year, 13% of second-level schools offered computer science as a subject in the Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Vocational programmes.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The attached table shows the number of pupils taking Computer Science as a subject as part of the Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Vocational programmes for academic years 2019 & 2020, the last year we have available final enrolment figures. We expect to publish final enrolments for 2021-22 in June of this year. - Count...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (8 Mar 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.  As the Deputy is aware,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The Letter of Intent (LOI) issued on 15th February 2022 to the preferred tenderer.  This allows the preferred bidder to put in place the Bond, Insurances and confirmations of all legal arrangements required under the Contract. Following receipt of all the necessary documentation, the Department will be in a position to issue the Letter of Acceptance (LOA), which will allow the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The Letter of Intent (LOI) issued on 15th February 2022 to the preferred tenderer.  This allows the preferred bidder to put in place the Bond, Insurances and confirmations of all legal arrangements required under the Contract.   Following receipt of all the necessary documentation, the Department will be in a position to issue the Letter of Acceptance (LOA), which will allow...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: Under the Capital Works Management Framework (CWMF) once a tenderer submits a tender it is not allowed to be adjusted for inflation. However in line with CWMF procurement rules and recent new guidance and changes to Public Work Contracts (PWC), issued by the OGP, the following scenarios are being implemented by the Department of Education: 1. Where tenders are submitted and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at advanced stage of Architectural Planning. The Board of Management and it's Design Team were authorised to commence Stage (2b) - Detailed Design on the 26th August 2021. Stage 2(b) includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and when these have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (8 Mar 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 Transport (8 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. 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. Under the terms of the School...