Results 12,221-12,240 of 19,598 for speaker:Norma Foley

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: On the leaving certificate, while I appreciate the Deputy has a different view from me in terms of the leaving certificate, I want to be very clear that I met, listened to and engaged on a consistent basis with all of the partners in education, including teachers, students, parents and managerial bodies and we worked through each of the requests that were there. The Deputy will be aware that...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: -----which is a significant move forward. There are other matters still to be worked out via the WRC. That work continues apace and positively. I am very pleased that everybody is engaging via the WRC and I will allow that to continue.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to be very clear, as I have been from the outset, that I want this situation resolved. We have made significant progress. I will allow the process via the WRC to continue such that all the issues that are brought to the table will be satisfactorily addressed for the benefit of everybody around the table. I have shown commitment to that. Up to this point we have made significant...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: In general, and in response to the Deputy's earlier remarks about Covid supports in our schools, I wish to be very clear that there is provision for €138 million in such supports. As the Deputy will be aware, the Covid contingency moneys are also available. I reiterate that we continue the infection prevention and control measures in our schools. They are operating very well. I...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The Chairman's first question was on the impact of the masks. It has been a source of reassurance to everyone in the education sector that we have very closely followed the public health advice. That was not just in respect of one single measure but in respect of a host of infection prevention control measures as recommended. That includes mask wearing, enhanced cleaning, PPP, hand...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the unanimity among committee members regarding school secretaries. I have worked with school secretaries and caretakers. I know the enormous value that is added to a school by the work of the support staff. The issue with school secretaries has been ongoing for years. I am pleased to say that in the last year and a half we have made significant progress through the WRC. We...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Chairman. I want to be clear that the patron of the school does have a role there.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: It is not appropriate for me to cross over into that role. I am very conscious of the points raised by the Chairman. I will be fair and say it has been raised with me. The Chairman has a particular interest in this and it has been raised with me by other public representatives. It will be best all around that the maximum solution for the students and the school fraternity, the staff and...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: An enormous body of work has been undertaken by the NCCA. This report has really been five years in the making. It is a substantial body of work and I am currently reviewing that. I am entirely committed to senior cycle reform and to the senior cycle review. I believe that we are all very clear that we need an education system that meets the needs of every child and every young person and...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge the superb work that goes on here on a daily basis in addressing the different aspects of education and especially, in this instance, the senior cycle. It is always very helpful to me to see the committee's deliberations and the very measured, concerned and proactive approach the committee takes to a variety of issues pertaining to education. I acknowledge my appreciation of...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I appreciate that.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: On the review and reform of senior cycle, I am absolutely committed to delivering on that. A focus is being placed on the leaving certificate, which is hugely important, but, as I said, our breadth of vision is wider than that. We are looking at all aspects of senior cycle. We are looking at transition year, leaving certificate applied, the leaving certificate vocational programme LCVP,...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: In fairness, I acknowledge that excellent work is ongoing in our schools regarding healthy eating and well-being. There is significant engagement by schools in this area. Our students are heavily involved, not just at secondary level but also at primary level where there are healthy eating promotions. This all falls under the well-being aspect too. We are conscious of that. The promotion...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: On facilities, the Deputy is correct. We are conscious of making provision for these facilities in our new builds where there is an opportunity to do so. Funding is in place for the future but it is part of a later tranche of development funding available to us. I will do all I can to bring that about earlier.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: There is an overall vision of where our building funding will go. As I said, I appreciate the importance and significance of having facilities such as the hallaí available to schools. I am examining this to see what room I have to manoeuvre and what opportunities there may be to bring forward that longer term funding being provided for the school building projects

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Chair for the question. On home economics as a subject, we have worked hard to put in place the widest offering to students in respect of subjects which might meet their interests and talents. I like the fact that they would have the widest possible choice and it is important that we preserve that in future. We will be imaginative in respect of the types of subjects we will...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: When projects are delivered they are devolved to the relevant parties. In recent years, there have been opportunities for us to explore a variety of different mechanisms for delivery. That has served us especially well as we have had to significantly ramp up this programme. We will be doing that going forward as well. There is, of course, as the Deputy would be aware, a clerk of works on...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: In the shortest timeframe possible. I do not want to be evasive but it is a significant body of work. It has taken the NCCA five years to put that body of work together and I need to give it that level of consideration. I assure the Chairman that it will be in the not-too-distant future.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 26 - Education (Revised)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (10 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I understand that. I appreciate how difficult it has been for everyone in the education sector. The delivery of education has been entirely reimagined. All those mitigation measures have allowed us to return to in-person teaching and learning. We learned from the experience of the pandemic that children benefit most from being there and receiving their education in person. It has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (9 Feb 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, where the...