Results 13,001-13,020 of 19,618 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The school building project to which the Deputy refers has been approved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019 to enable the school to build a two-classroom SEN Base. Approval to progress this project to Tender Stage issued in June 2021. The project has been devolved for delivery to Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education & Training Board (DDLETB). ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under my Additional Accommodation Scheme to purchase modular accommodation containing seven classrooms, one science room and one technology room. This project was devolved to Dublin Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) for delivery. The project was approved to construction in June 2018 and has since been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has been in contact with the patron of the school in question and it has been agreed to increase the enrolment capacity of the school to 1,000 pupils. My Department has already approved interim accommodation for this purpose and this devolved project is currently at construction stage. My Department is engaging with the patron of the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 367 together. As the Deputy may be aware, the decision-making authority in respect of the status of existing schools, including whether they are single or mixed gender, belongs to the Patron, subject to the agreement of my Department. New schools are established by my Department to meet demographic need and, generally, such new school provision...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020. Under the terms of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. These measures protect students, their parents and school staff and are very effective. Public Health continue to advise that the two most important actions to prevent the introduction and spread of Covid-19 (and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department’s ventilation guidance for schools is very clear and practical on the steps to be taken by all schools to manage ventilation levels. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Site Acquisitions (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The property referred to by the Deputy is not in my ownership as Minister for Education. The land owner should be contacted regarding this purchase request.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission is a non-departmental public body under the aegis of the Department of Education with 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: School Enrolments (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in a number of school planning areas including the Lucan school planning area. 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: - Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: An official from my Department has been in contact with Longford and Westmeath ETB (LWETB) on foot of the Deputy’s question. LWETB has confirmed that each of the buildings listed in the table below was the subject of a report which identified the existence of asbestos in the property and specified one or more remedial actions to be taken. These reports date from 2005 to 2019 and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I understand from my officials that the student concerned has been prioritised by her school for the involvement of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to support her transition from her primary to post-primary school. Once the relevant form is completed and returned by the school along with parental consent for NEPS involvement, the psychologist will agree a date for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy will take some time to collate. I will arrange for my Department to provide this information to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department’s ventilation guidance for schools is very clear and practical on the steps to be taken by all schools to manage ventilation levels. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (25 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department does not provide funding to programmes such as the one referred to by the Deputy to purchase means of transport.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020. All children who are eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff (25 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The Public Service Sick Leave Scheme, which applies to teachers, is regulated by the Public Service Management (Sick Leave) Regulations 2014, SI 12of 2014, as amended by the Public Service Management (Sick Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2015, SI 384 of 2015. The Sick Leave Scheme for teachers is contained in my Department’s Circular Letter 54/2019. Under the Public Service Sick Leave...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (25 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The permanent school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been assigned to my Department’s Design & Build delivery programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction. The final grant of planning for the project was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (25 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2020/21 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020. Planning for school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (25 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I have announced a number of additional measures to provide enhanced substitute cover in the context of current challenges arising from the Covid-19 emergency. Higher education institutions (HEIs) providing undergraduate programmes of primary initial teacher education (ITE) have agreed to facilitate the release of year 3 and year 4 B.Ed. students to support schools up to the end of the...