Results 12,021-12,040 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (7 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. A letter was issued to the school on the 18th February 2022. This letter advised the school that the NDFA will write to them once all the preparation works are complete to make arrangements to meet to discuss the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (7 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department wrote to all schools on 15 March and on 5 April 2022 regarding the provision of supports for children arriving from Ukraine. These supports include provisions for English language supports for children with very little or no English. The Teacher Allocation Unit of the Department is currently processing applications for additional teaching resources and EAL, and this is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (7 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: The Minister has recently announced the establishment of a National Policy Group for Guidance. The group, recommended by Indecon in its review of Career Guidance Tools and Information, comprises senior officials from relevant Departments including the Department of Education, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Department of Children,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (7 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation (ASA) from the school authority in question. Officials from my Department have corresponded with Cavan/Monaghan ETB in relation to this application and on receipt of their response, the application will be progressed and a decision will issue to the ETB directly. The purpose of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Programmes (7 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy the education welfare functions vested in the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 and the administration of the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) and the School Completion Programme (SCP), were transferred to the Minister for Education with effect from 1st January 2021, in line with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Defibrillators Provision (7 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that defibrillators are available in my Department's main offices in Athlone, Tullamore and Marlborough Street and Blanchardstown in Dublin. In addition, my Department promotes a policy of recruitment and training of Occupational First Aiders from within its internal staff cohort. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and the operation of Automated External Defibrillator...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (7 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department has not awarded contracts to the named company in the years 2017 to 2021. Information in relation to consultancy expenditure in my Department is compiled annually in respect of the previous year and published online at www.gov.ie/en/collection/department-of-education-and-skills- expenditure-on-consultancy/The data in respect of 2021 is being compiled at present and will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question. The school previously received funding from my department under the Emergency Works Scheme and Summer Works Scheme in respect of toilet facilities. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b) which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. A Brief Change request had been approved in principle by my Department and a Brief Change report was submitted by the school and its Design Team, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: The criteria for the award of Incremental Credit for previous experience is outlined in Circular 0139/2006 for special needs assistants (SNAs), and was agreed in the first instance, by the Teacher Conciliation Council (TCC). This Council is comprised of representatives of the teacher unions, school management bodies, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: From September 2022 the DEIS programme is being extended to benefit 347 schools. These schools will access all supports under the programme to match their respective DEIS band. Schools are assigned to the DEIS bands based on the location of the school and their level of concentrated educational disadvantage. The school referred to by the Deputy is a rural DEIS primary school. Amongst other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Tax Reliefs (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: I am glad to advise the Deputy that a travel pass scheme is available to nearly 80,000 contracted teaching and non-teaching school staff paid by my Department. The terms of the travel pass scheme operated by my Department are laid out in Departmental Circular 56/2020. A policy decision was made when the scheme was introduced to facilitate the Taxsaver tickets on a yearly basis through my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (6 Apr 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: Special Educational Needs (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate accommodation for pupils with special education needs is an absolute priority for my Department. This is in two respects: firstly in ensuring that there is sufficient provision for pupils with special education needs and secondly in designing school accommodation that meets the needs of all users - students and staff - and enhances...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: I recently announced that from next September the DEIS programme will be extended to an additional 310 schools. 37 schools will also benefit from additional supports following reclassification. Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: From September 2022 the DEIS programme is being extended to benefit 347 schools. These schools will access all supports under the programme to match their respective DEIS band. Schools are assigned to the DEIS bands based on the location of the school and their level of concentrated educational disadvantage. The school referred to by the Deputy is a rural DEIS primary school. Amongst...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Standards for initial teacher education (ITE) at primary, all student teachers must complete a 4 week Gaeltacht learning period (GLP) (2x 2 weeks) as part of their programme. This is compulsory in order to graduate. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the traditional Gaeltacht learning periods could not go ahead as planned and the Department and Teaching Council agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110, 111, 112, 113, 114 and 115 together. ETBs and Principals have a responsibility for the quality and effectiveness of education and the management of staff in a school as set out in the Education Act 1998. Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 provides for the suspension and dismissal of teachers and principals by employers. The Minister for Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: The financial package approved by Government to support schools recognises that COVID-19 poses significant challenges for schools and has made provision for additional funding which is being provided to schools to meet costs relating to COVID-19. Schools have been provided with a range of COVID-19 capitation grants to cater for enhanced cleaning regimes and the purchase of necessary supplies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (6 Apr 2022)

Norma Foley: Ireland’s 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) were established on 1 July 2013. They have statutory responsibility for education and training, youth work and a range of other functions. ETBs manage and operate second-level schools, further education colleges delivering adult and community education and training programmes, and multi-faith community national schools. The general...