Results 13,461-13,480 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

Education (Health, Relationships and Sex Education) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: “Dáil Éireann resolves that the Education (Health, Relationships and Sex Education) Bill 2021 be deemed to be read a second time this day nine months.” I welcome the opportunity to appear before the House to participate in this important debate. I thank Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 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. An application for Planning Permission was submitted to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 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 Transport (24 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. The purpose of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the review which was referred to in the letter sent to the person mentioned on 25th August 2021 is near completion. It is expected that in early 2022, officials from my Department will then correspond with all individuals concerned. Officials from the Pension Unit of my Department were in direct contact with the person mentioned by the Deputy, last week, to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 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: Departmental Data (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment on the previous 30 September, and are available on the Department website. There have been a number of positive measures implemented to support small schools including an improvement of one point in the appointment threshold and a reduction in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department is aware of some local pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas across the country, including Wexford Town. 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 driven by the following factors: Duplication of applications – pupils...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 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. The purpose of the School...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103, 106 and 107 together. The Department of Health and the HSE, working in collaboration with the Department of Education announced last week a programme in which antigen tests will be made available to children in primary schools. Parents and Guardians of a primary school child, who is a confirmed case of COVID-19 following a PCR test, will be asked...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The HSE’s Public Health teams will continue to provide support to schools should it be required and testing will remain available more broadly to children should it be required on public health or clinical grounds or following a Public Health Risk Assessment. The HSE’s Public Health teams continue to prioritise high-risk settings and vulnerable groups such as special schools and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department of Health and the HSE, working in collaboration with the Department of Education has announced last week a programme in which antigen tests will be made available to children in primary schools. Where there is a confirmed case in a pod, an SNA or other staff member working closely with children in the pod may also avail of the antigen tests and request them from the HSE....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: Following ongoing engagement between the Department of Education and the education stakeholders on issues raised about the difficulty accessing substitutes for teacher absences at this time I made an announcement yesterday about additional temporary measures put in place in the context of COVID-19 to assist with the availability of substitutes until the February mid-term break. The following...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: Since 2011 no member of staff of my department has had their contract terminated or been transferred to another section due to breaches of standards or professional misconduct.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 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. The purpose of my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 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 (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has been made aware of the challenges currently being experienced by some schools and has engaged with the education stakeholders on the issues raised about the current difficulty in accessing substitutes for teacher absences. Regarding the use of PME student teachers to help address these challenges, the higher education institutions (HEIs) have ensured flexibility to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Climate Action Plan (24 Nov 2021)

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: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2021)

Norma Foley: The most up to date guidance for the education sector was published by the HSE in July 2021 (‘Education Sector Guidance on Employees in the COVID-19 Higher Risk Categories, including Pregnant Employees’) and authored by the Civil Service Chief Medical Officer, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Public Health Medicine in HSE and Medmark Occupational Healthcare. As with all...