Results 12,501-12,520 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: On 17thFebruary 2022, NPHET reviewed the remaining public health measures including the infection prevention control measures and restrictions in school settings. The Government has accepted the recommendations of the NPHET to remove remaining restrictions relating to mask-wearing and physical distancing in schools with effect from Monday 28thFebruary. The Department has published updated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 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 Staff (1 Mar 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 these staff under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions those staff are...

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

Norma Foley: The acquisition of the permanent site for the schools in question, (known locally as the “Glass Bottle” site) on the Goatstown Road, was completed by my Department in June 2019. The site will provide for a campus development of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school with 4 class Special Education Needs Unit (SENU) and a new 16 classroom primary school building with a 2 class SENU...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 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: Departmental Correspondence (1 Mar 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department's engagement with An Bord Pleanála lies principally in the context of : - appeal lodgement in relation to an application by the Department for planning permission for a school building project. In such a case, the Department's engagement is in accordance with standard planning appeal procedures.  - the Board's determination of applications...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (1 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 (1 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: Educational Disadvantage (1 Mar 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: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The school referred to by the Deputy recently submitted documentation to my Department for assessment. This documentation has been reviewed in the Department and further information was requested of the school authorities on 18/02/2022. It is a matter for the school authorities to forward this information as soon as possible. Once received, the Department will continue with the review...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data in a way that takes account of the significant local and regional variations in demographic trends and enrolment projections, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas (SPAs). Using school planning area boundaries within my Department’s Geographic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 295 and 296 together. Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is a matter for the Board of Management of each school. The Board of Management of a school, under the Education Act 1998, has responsibility for the direct governance of a school, including developing policies on issues including accessibility and technology...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Meetings (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The NWCI have not requested a meeting or briefing through my office . As far as I know none of my officials have met with the group directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school to which he refers is one of 18 schools recently added to the programme of school building projects that have been devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) under its Devolved Schools Building Programme 2. The project for the school in question provides for the construction of a 32-classroom new school building on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (24 Feb 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, the Deputy will be aware that a framework for adapted School Placement arrangements was developed by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The Comprehensive and Community Schools Widows’ and Children’s Contributory Pension scheme 1981 commenced with effect from 1stApril 1982. At that time membership was limited to male members of the Contributory Pension scheme for full-time non-teaching employees serving on the staff of Community and Comprehensive schools. While the terms of this scheme have not been updated to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department has a wide range of support structures in place across the primary and post primary sectors to enable teachers to meet the ever-evolving needs of the education sector and to support improvements in the quality of teaching and learning generally through the national teacher education support services and by local education centres. The national teacher education support services...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers is currently out to tender and tenders are due back this week. The Design Team will prepare a Tender Report which will identify a recommended bidder. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated works could commence on site in Quarter 3 of 2022.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: The delivery of PPP schools includes provision for facilities management services such as building maintenance. These are designed to maintain quality of service delivery over the service period, in most cases 25 years. To fund these services the Department issues monthly unitary payments, as a result PPP schools are not eligible to apply for Emergency Works, Summer Works or the receipt...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (24 Feb 2022)

Norma Foley: Transition Year (TY) offers students a broad educational experience with a view to the attainment of increased maturity, before proceeding to further study and/or vocational preparation. It provides a bridge to help pupils make the transition from a highly-structured environment to one where they will take greater responsibility for their own learning and decision making. TY students...