Results 13,401-13,420 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: Officials in my Department have identified a number of legal agreements in place between me as Minister for Education and the Patron of the school to which the Deputy refers. Due to the legal nature of these documents my Department is currently in contact with the other parties to these agreements regarding their release. My officials will follow up with the Deputy to advise him of the...

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

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: Schools Refurbishment (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The building project to provide a new building for the school referred to by the Deputy recently commenced on site with a contract duration of 18 months. Subject to no issues arising works should be complete in Quarter 2 of 2023. The estimated cost is just over €19m including VAT.

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

Norma Foley: Based on the mid-point of the current Educational Welfare Officer and Senior Educational Welfare Officer salary scales, the estimated cost in 2022 of increasing the number of educational welfare officer posts by 25 and for increasing the number of senior educational welfare officer posts by 10 is in the region of €2.45 million. This figured includes associated non-pay costs.

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

Norma Foley: The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department provides guidelines and resource materials for schools to enable them to deal with certain traumatic events which can adversely affect pupils and school staff. The publication "Responding to Critical Incidents: NEPS Guidelines and Resource Materials for Schools’ outlines how schools can plan for crises. The...

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

Norma Foley: Decisions to hold mock examinations are taken by individual schools. The format of these examinations varies from school to school and not all schools run mock examinations. Neither my Department nor the State Examinations Commission has any role in relation to the setting, running or marking of mock examinations.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 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. A pre-planning meeting with the Planning Department of...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 331 and 345 together. An incremental credit application for prior service has been received in my Department from the teacher referred to. My Department receives a large volume of applications every year. Officials from my Department process incremental credit applications in date received order. It is anticipated that the teacher's application will be...

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

Norma Foley: The project to which you refer has been devolved for delivery to Donegal Education and Training Board (DETB). I am pleased to inform you that the pre-qualification process for the project was recently approved by my Department. DETB will now continue with the tender process for appointing a contractor. While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the...

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 build 2 mainstream classrooms, refurbishment of existing 2 classrooms, 2 SET rooms, Principal's Office, Staff Room/General Office, Store, and Staff/Disabled Shower WC. This project is devolved to the school authority for delivery. I can confirm that my Department received a Stage 3 Tender...

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

Norma Foley: Languages Connect, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education aims to increase and diversify the range of languages taught and learned. As set out in the accompanying Implementation Plan, four new leaving certificate curricular languages were introduced from September 2020 – Mandarin Chinese, Lithuanian, Polish and Portuguese. These new languages will be examined...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm that a building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included on my Department's Capital Programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). My Department is in advanced discussions with a property-owner with respect to the permanent location for the school, with a view to progressing a new school building project on the site. The...

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

Norma Foley: On 30 June 2021, I announced that adjustments would be made to the 2022 Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle examinations. Details of these adjustments were issued to schools on 19 August 2021 to ensure that students and staff could familiarise themselves with any changes. These arrangements acknowledge the disruption faced by these students because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I consider that...

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

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: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under my Additional Accommodation Scheme to build a two classroom SEN base. This project has been devolved to Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) for delivery. I can confirm that my Department has received a Stage 1/2A report for the project. This report is currently being reviewed by officials in my...

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

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm that my Department is in advanced discussions with a property-owner with respect to the permanent location for the school, with a view to progressing a new school building project on the site. The proposed arrangements for the location of the school for the 2022/23 academic year will be made known to the school authority as soon as it is possible to do so.

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

Norma Foley: Both schools referred to by the Deputy are at an advanced stage of the tender process. With regard to Little Angels School Letterkenny, a recommended bidder has been identified and they are currently putting measures in place to comply with the requirements of the Letter of Intent. When they are received, and subject to no issues arising, works will commence on site with a completion...

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

Norma Foley: Planning for the 2022 State Examinations is assisted by engagement with a range of education stakeholders. This includes an Advisory Group on Planning for the State Examinations. The group was originally established to provide advice in relation to the 2020 State Examinations, following the announcement of school closures as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is chaired jointly by my...

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

Norma Foley: There are currently approximately 430 teachers on secondment for 2021/2022. The Secondment Scheme for teachers is set out in Circular Letter 0029/2018. It provides an arrangement for an external organisation to meet a specialised human resource requirement through the temporary assignment of a teacher where that need cannot be effectively met through the normal appointment process. ...

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

Norma Foley: The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) support service is funded by my Department and has responsibility for delivering continuous professional development (CPD) supports to teachers and school leaders in areas of curriculum and policy at Primary and Senior Cycle levels. The PDST team comprises seconded, practising teachers augmented by team leaders, local facilitators and...