Results 12,361-12,380 of 19,598 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Island Communities (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department implemented the outcome of the review of allowances and premium payments (September 2012) by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The outcome of which was that many allowances were no longer payable to many new public service entrants including “new entrant” teachers. Circular 8 of 2013 outlines the effect of this review on teachers. In common with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. The key drivers of capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate accommodation for pupils with special edcuation needs is an absolute priority for Minister Madigan and myself.  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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme.  This project will provide for 1 mainstream classroom and a 2-classroom SEN Base. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department approved this project to proceed to construction in May 2021 and the project is currently on site. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Places (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: In April 2018 the planned establishment of 42 new schools (26 primary & 16 post primary), over the 4 years from 2019 to 2020. This announcement followed a nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the current and future need for primary and post-primary school places across the country. Since this announcement officials in my Department have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation. At primary level, this situation generally arises to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The provision of accommodation for pupils with special education needs is a priority for my Department.  My officials have close engagement with officials in the National Council for Special Education in respect of needs at primary and post primary level and also at special schools.  The delivery of accommodation to meet current and future requirements for classes for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: There are developments in two areas of my Department’s policies concerning sexual harassment.  Firstly, in relation to the school curriculum, Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary Junior Cycle. Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is required at all levels, from primary through to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme as part of Project Ireland 2040. This project will provide for 2 Mainstream Classrooms, 1 Metalwork Room and 1 Woodwork Room and has been devolved for delivery to Limerick and Clare ETB (LCETB).    Project Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. The key drivers of capital...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: In recent years the Department has established a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of teachers at both post-primary and primary levels, including the introduction of new programmes of initial teacher education and teacher upskilling programmes in targeted subject areas and the Teaching Transforms campaign, which encourages young people to follow a career in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: In December 2021 in order to provide additional support in the context of Covid-19 my Department issued the payment of a minor works grant totalling €45m for primary schools and special schools, plus a once-off Covid-19 minor works funding of €17m for post-primary schools. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: A project for St Brid's Special School is included in the Department's school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). It is intended that this project will provide modern accommodation to meet the needs of the school, including the complex needs of its pupils. It is also intended that the project will include additional capacity to address future...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education’s STEM Education Policy Statement 2017–2026, published November 2017, sets out ambitious goals and actions required to achieve and improve the STEM education experience and outcomes for all learners. The Policy Statement acknowledges that while there are many strengths in STEM education provision at present, a number of challenges also exist. These...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Site Acquisition (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The acquisition of the permanent site for the school referred to by the Deputy was completed by my Department in June 2019. The zoning on the site reserves 60% of the site for "open space” – that is, it cannot be built upon.  The overall site is circa 10 acres. My Department made a submission to the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Draft Development Plan 2022-28 in April 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools.  At primary level, the annual staffing schedule determines the allocation of teachers to schools. The current allocation is on an average ratio of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils.  Budget 2022 has implemented a further 1...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Places (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department is aware of some local pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas across the country including Trim Co. Meath. However, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided at the end of May following the work of an expert group that carefully considered the role of ventilation in managing COVID-19. The updated guidance for schools is also...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Feb 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. The purpose of my Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 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...