Results 13,061-13,080 of 19,618 for speaker:Norma Foley

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Facilities (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that the majority of schools have a general purpose room or physical education hall and practically all schools have outdoor play areas. In addition, many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. Investment and expenditure on PE halls is an element of the overall expenditure and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Facilities (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: As I have previously outlined, the Department has a significant pipeline of projects to be delivered over the coming years to meet capacity need managed under the large-scale capital programme and the additional school accommodation scheme. This involves in excess of 1,200 school building projects across various stages of planning, design, tender and construction. The current delivery...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Facilities (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I want to be very clear to the Deputy there is an absolute commitment from the Department to provide all the necessary provision and opportunities necessary within the education sector. It is true to say we have presided over the single greatest investment in education in the most recent budget. Equally, there is a breadth of vision for education with respect to the provision of new builds,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disadvantaged Status (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I appreciate her taking the time to raise the question. Budget 2022, as the Deputy is aware, has provided for an allocation of €18 million for 2022 and €32 million 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...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I mentioned some of those points because they can cause specific issues at different times. Under Project 2040, €8.9 billion will be invested by the Department of Education in the school building programme. On additional school accommodation being made available in Dublin mid-west, it is intended that the following building projects will provide additional capacity in these areas: at...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: There are further large-scale projects which will also provide additional school accommodation in the Dublin mid-west area, including at Moyle Park College, Clondalkin, Collinstown Park Community College, Coláiste Cois Life and the school in which, I appreciate, the Deputy has a particular interest, namely, St. Kevin's Community College. St. Kevin's was provided with additional general...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Examinations (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: In the first instance, as I referenced earlier, the senior cycle review is just that. It reviews all of senior cycle. That is important because it includes leaving certificate established or, as we would call it, leaving certificate; the transition year programme; leaving certificate applied; and leaving certificate vocational programme, LCVP. It is very much a holistic look at all that is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Examinations (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: It is important to point out that all learnings from Covid are important, not only within the education sector but in all of society. Specifically, in relation to the questions the Deputies raise here in terms of senior cycle, all of what we have learned through Covid is an important consideration. All of what we have learned and experienced prior to Covid also will inform this report. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank Deputy Ward for his question. I wish to advise the Deputy that the Department is aware of increasing local pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas, including the mid-west Dublin area. 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...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy raising this issue and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, has raised it with me on an ongoing basis as well. I recognise the considerable challenge experienced by all of those impacted by mica. I have met families and representative groups to discuss the issue and I want to confirm that my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I want to make it clear that I do not for one minute underestimate the personal difficulties of any family, individual, young person or child experiencing mica defects in their homes. As I have outlined, there are specific and strong supports available within our school system. Equally, additional measures have been put in place this year. For example, for the first time almost 4,000 hours...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Defective Building Materials (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I do not in any way take from the seriousness of the situation. There has been a request for counselling services and that is a matter for the Department of Health. It has responsibility for the provision of counselling services, and through the HSE it provides primary care psychology and CAMHS services to children and young people with mental health needs. On the additional supports that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Examinations (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, the NCCA carried out a review of the senior cycle between 2016 and 2020, leading to the advisory report the Deputy has referenced. The review covered a number of areas, including the question of the overall identity and purposes of senior cycle education; how to establish continuity and progression with the new junior cycle; and the range of learning programmes...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: To clarify with regard to substitution, a whole myriad of measures are being made available to schools, not one single measure. In terms of special education specifically, it is very important that children who need to avail of particular supports because they have particular special educational challenges should receive that support at the time they are scheduled to receive it. I do not...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the question. The approach to supporting schools to operate safely during Covid-19 has been to follow and implement public health advice. A range of measures have been implemented across schools, including social distancing, enhanced cleaning and, as the Deputy will be aware, mask wearing in some settings for students and in all settings for staff. As of 27 September 2021,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. Again, I appreciate the very positive approach he takes and the generosity with which he shares his experience. In terms of our schools as they exist, comparable to other schools, there are very significant infection prevention and control measures in our schools, and I would venture to say they are not comparable to the lack of them in other jurisdictions. On...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. In terms of antigen testing, obviously, it is a public health measure and it is being led by the HSE, but there is a significant body of work under way whereby guidelines will now be made available to school principals, school staff and parents, and that will all be communicated in advance of Monday, 29 November. How correctly to utilise and use antigen testing will...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Educational Reform (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the point the Deputy made. Covid has focused our lens even more closely on how the leaving certificate and senior cycle operates. To be fair, the entire review involves all of the senior cycle, and, therefore, includes the leaving certificate applied, the leaving certificate established and the leaving certificate vocational programme. We are also referring to the transition...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Educational Reform (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the points the Deputy has made and the urgency with which he views the question. The review was four years in the making and involves a considerable body of work. There was the widest consultation, rightly, with all the partners in education – parents, teachers, wider society, obviously students as well, and also the views and experiences of experts from other...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (23 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I am the first to acknowledge that these have been difficult and challenging times, not just currently but throughout the pandemic, for all school leaders and all school communities. There has been an extraordinary generosity by school leaders and school communities to do what needs to be done in the delivery of education and to pivot in other directions when it was not possible to maintain...