Results 12,241-12,260 of 19,598 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child and Family Agency (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. Schools are obliged to notify Tusla in line with the provisions of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000. Under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 a “child” is defined as a person resident in the State who has reached the age of 6 years and who (a) has not reached the age of 16 years, or (b)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The site visit to which the Deputy refers took place on 31 January 2022. The purpose of the site visit was to identify on the ground what practical matters need to be addressed to accommodate both schools. This includes addressing the possibility of the provision of SEN facilities in both schools for the coming school year. The details referred to by the Deputy include points of information...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application, for the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA), from the school in question. My officials have recently corresponded with the school Patron for further information to support the application. Upon receipt of this information the application will be assessed and a decision conveyed to the school authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (9 Feb 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 Advisory Report maps out, in broad terms, an ambitious programme of work, which would enable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together. The total grant funding provided by my Department for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) provided by the Teacher Education Support Services and local Education Centres over the past 5 years is set out in the table attached. The proportion it represents of primary and post-primary teachers payroll costs is also provided. Please note...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, an investment programme of €210m has been delivered to schools under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 –2020. Schools are supported to develop their Digital Learning Plan, using the Digital Learning Framework, which enables schools to embed the use of digital technology in teaching and learning and assessment. Extensive supports, resources...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The payment once-off Covid-19 minor works funding for post primary schools of €17m announced on the 13th of December 2021 was paid automatically to schools in the free scheme with no onus on schools to make an application. Applications from post-primary schools in the fee-charging sector and Public Private Partnership schools are being considered on a case-by-case basis. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Budget 2022 has provided for an allocation of €18million for 2022 and €32million for 2023 to extend the DEIS programme to further schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. This represents an increase of over 20% in funding for the DEIS programme and will enable an expansion in 2022 to additional schools. This package follows an extensive body of work which has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education promotes a comprehensive and whole-school approach in schools to the promotion of positive mental health focusing on the entire school community, as well as groups and individual young people with identified need. This spans the curriculum in schools, culture and environment, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, student support and pastoral care, guidance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (9 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I am very aware of the disruption and stress experienced by students who are due to take their Leaving Certificate examinations this year. I also know that students had sought certainty and clarity regarding the approach to be taken in respect of this year’s examinations. I hope that the measures I announced on 1 February, including further significant changes to examination papers,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Land Issues (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank Deputies Ó Broin, Ward, Gino Kenny and Higgins for providing me the opportunity to update the House on the transfer of lands and the provision of a primary healthcare facility at Collinstown Park Community College in Clondalkin. I acknowledge that there is unanimity among the Deputies and I appreciate the passion with which they speak and the necessity for their constituents. ...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Land Issues (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to be clear, as there is no ambiguity in this. To be fair, I have had a short amount of time to move this project along. It is a progressive and positive step, and should be acknowledged as such, that the disposal of the site for the development of the primary care centre will proceed separately from the delivery of facilities to the school. This means that there is now the impetus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Boards of Management of schools are the direct employers of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs). My Department provides Paymaster support to schools. SNAs can be contracted to work up to a maximum of 39 hours per week and are usually contracted to work for a school year which begins on 1stSeptember and finishes the following 31stAugust. As such, SNAs are paid on the basis of an annual salary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (8 Feb 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: School Staff (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: School secretaries 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 secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (8 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (8 Feb 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 Advisory Report maps out, in broad terms, an ambitious programme of work, which would enable...

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

Norma Foley: In recent weeks, I have attended a meeting 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. Following on from this meeting, I met with the members of the advisory group on a bilateral basis and also had further engagement with each...

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

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department received a request for a change of status from the school in question from a single stream fully vertical, co-educational school to a two stream, fully vertical co-educational school from September 2022. As part of the assessment process, my Department has taken into account the demographic projections and current capacity for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (8 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 405, 407, 409 and 410 together. Tá sé i gceist agam PQ 5951, 5953, 5955 & 5956 a thógáil le chéile. Is féidir liom a dheimhniú don Teachta, de réir mhír 7 de chiorclán 0052/2019 (Bunscoileanna) agus mír 8 de chiorclán 0053/2019 (Iar-bhunscoileanna), ina ndeirtear go ndéanfar...