Results 1,261-1,280 of 4,188 for speaker:Sorca Clarke

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Dec 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 237. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in light of significant increases in energy, insurance, cleaning and waste-disposal costs, as well as in the cost of teaching materials and buses, if she will consider allowing a DEIS band 1 school (details supplied) to keep the remains of their Covid grant to go towards the ongoing upkeep and maintenance of the school. [53350/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (5 Dec 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 238. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what plans she has to make sure schools are adequately funded, given the capitation and cleaning grants along with others do not cover the basic expenses of schools. [53351/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Facilities (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: Despite that, we continue to have one of the lowest levels of investment in education in the OECD. I raised correspondence yesterday at a debate on the Estimates, and while I had not intended to raise it again today, it needs to be addressed. I am not going to mention the school because I do not think that would be fair on it, but I am going to read out part of the email. I ask the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Facilities (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: I acknowledged it was unspent grant money.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Facilities (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 70. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to school funding, when the minor works scheme payment will be made to schools for the current school year. [52534/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Facilities (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: My question relates to school funding and when the minor works scheme payment will be made to schools for the current year.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Facilities (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: I understand the change in the payment date happened in the 2019-20 school year, when the country was in the grip of a pandemic. Without a shadow of a doubt, the minor works grant is second only to teacher shortages in terms of the education queries that come across my desk. The issue causes significant challenges for schools, in particular the payment date. The Minister has said it is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Teacher Training (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: I will go back to the balance between public and private providers. We often say that people cannot be what they cannot see. This is particularly the case in the teaching profession. We need to see diversity in our teaching staff. We need to see teachers who adequately reflect their own learners. Where training provision is moving towards being private only or a disproportionate amount...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Teacher Training (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 66. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of teacher training places available for the year 2023-24; and how many are provided by public colleges and how many by the private sector. [52533/23]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Teacher Training (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: I am mindful as we are here this morning that this is the first time for education questions since the horrific attack on the students and the care provider in Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire, on Parnell Square, last week. I place on the record not only my fear as a parent and my revulsion as a public representative but also my hope and my wishes that each and every single one of those...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Teacher Training (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: It is about ten years since this cap came in. One of the concerns I have is a report that states that four times as many places are being offered by just one private college and that more than one in three new primary teachers have come from the private market. I understand there can be strategic reasons for limiting the number of teachers trained. However, simply allowing the private...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Infrastructure Ireland (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: I support Deputy Bruton in the context of what he said. It may sound really peculiar that a TD from Longford-Westmeath is speaking about Clongriffin, but I was at that train station at 6.30 a.m. It is an area I am very familiar with. I utterly concur with the sentiment of feeling abandoned. It is grossly unfair. The Minister spoke of the access from the Baldoyle side. I recommend that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department is currently reviewing the content, cost and duration of the Professional Master of Education. [52535/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the proposed new buildings for a school (details supplied). [52536/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 353. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reconsider raising the compulsory retirement age of Bus Éireann school transport drivers, who are currently required to retire at 70 years of age, given the current shortage of school bus drivers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53031/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 354. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to explain the reasoning behind the differing retirement ages between school bus drivers at Bus Éireann and drivers working for private operators; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53032/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Primary Medical Certificates (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 455. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when the appeals board for the primary medical certificate will commence reviewing current backlog of appeals. [52935/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Primary Medical Certificates (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 456. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update on reviewing the primary medical certificate criteria. [52936/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Primary Medical Certificates (30 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: 457. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of appeals for the primary medical certificate that are currently in counties Longford and Westmeath, in tabular form; and how long these people have been waiting for an appeal in term of months. [52937/23]

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2023)

Sorca Clarke: I welcome the Minister and her officials. I wish to follow up on the school transport issue, which I have raised repeatedly. I have a concerning email in front of me. While not directly related to the transport provided by the Department, it raises questions about the communication between the Department and the National Transport Authority, NTA. It is from a school of 642 students in...