Results 12,521-12,540 of 19,601 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Road Safety (27 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: The road in question will ultimately be in the charge of the local authority referred to by the Deputy. The ‘taking in charge’ process is ongoing and any queries in relation to the future installation of a pedestrian crossing at that location would be a matter for the local authority to consider.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (27 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 279 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department recently 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 Educational Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. It acts in the interests of the public good while upholding and enhancing standards in the teaching profession. The Teaching Council assesses overseas...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: As recently announced, the Teaching Council is now working to put processes and procedures in place to support the registration and vetting of 3rd and 4th year student teachers. In addition, pending the development of those processes and procedures by the Teaching Council, the Department of Education is examining how the '5 day rule' is impacting 3rd and 4th year student teachers.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, utilising data from a range of sources including child benefit data, departmental pupil databases, CSO statistics and information on recent and planned housing developments to forecast school place requirements at primary and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 Jan 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 query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early School Leavers (27 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: Estimates of Early School Leavers (ESL) are arrived at by subtracting the number of students who sat the Leaving Certificate in 2019 or received a calculated grade in 2020 from the number of pupils who entered first year in the 2014-15 school year. The entry cohort is adjusted for recorded emigration, deceased students and students who repeat based on six years of academic year data. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (27 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: To provide additional support in the context of Covid-19 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, was issued in December 2021. The minor works funding is a capital grant and provides good flexibility to address issues at local school level. The works...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (27 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised schools in the Free Education Scheme. The main grant is the capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating costs. My Department has ensured that centrally negotiated rates are available to schools for electricity and bulk heating fuels. These rates are available through existing frameworks sourced by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (27 Jan 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: Energy Conservation (26 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: My Department is at the forefront of design with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both National and International level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification. My Department’s Technical Guidance Documents set the benchmark for sustainable design in school buildings with a clear focus on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that the school to which he refers applied under the Summer Works Scheme 2020 under Category 2 for roof works. The application was refused on the basis that a major project is being planned for the school. However, as the timeline for this major project is still at the planning stage, the school has been advised that any interim urgent works issues in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (26 Jan 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 Transport (26 Jan 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: Irish Language (26 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I can advise the Deputy that in accordance with the circulars on exemptions from the study of Irish (0052/2019 primary and 0053/2019 post primary), the Department has commenced an initial review of the operation of those circulars. In recognising the linguistic, social and cultural importance of Irish and English in Ireland, both languages are included as core subjects in the national...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (26 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: Access to sexual and health education is an important right for students. Schools have a responsibility to provide for this, in consultation with parents, having regard to the ethos of the school. 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 (or RSE) is required at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has recently approved funding for the provision of permanent additional accommodation, including a two class special education needs base (ASD) at the school in question. The school authority has been contacted directly with the decision.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (25 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it allows me to provide an update on the current position on the planned development of the new three-school campus at Carrigtohill. I know of the Deputy's ongoing interest and I also know the interest of Deputies Stanton and O'Connor, who have consistently raised the matter with me also. Carrigtwohill Community College is a co-educational...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (25 Jan 2022)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy's interest in this project. There is great unanimity among the public representatives on the matter. At the request of Deputy O'Connor, I met a number of the school leaders in the area. Deputy Buckley specifically referenced the wider area of east Cork. I am personally very familiar with the area because I spent time teaching there. I am very conscious of its...