Results 1,341-1,360 of 19,412 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (10 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. The project brief includes the development of a new 16 Classroom Special School. The tender report is under review by Department Officials. When this review is complete my Department will be in contact with the Design Team to progress the project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (10 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023/24 school year over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Scoileanna DEIS (10 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: In response to the Deputy’s previous Parliamentary Question regarding this school, I outlined that following the publication by the OECD 'Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland' in July 2024 my officials will work with other government departments, agencies, education partners, and stakeholders across the sector to develop tangible actions aimed at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (10 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, the project for this school has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. The project brief includes an extension to the existing school buildings, decanting if required, necessary to satisfactorily develop the post primary school on its existing site, to cater for an enrolment of 700 pupils. The Stage 2b architectural report has now been approved by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (10 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question has submitted an application for capital funding, under my department's Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for extra accommodation at their school. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (10 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The sraitheanna pictiúr, or picture sequences, are a component of the common Irish Oral test for Higher Level and Ordinary Level candidates, with the Oral test accounting for 40% of the overall marks for Leaving Cert Irish. In response to issues highlighted in National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta Gaelscolaíochta (COGG)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (10 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (10 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department is currently undergoing an Organisational Capability Review which is being conducted by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. It is expected that the report from this review will be completed and sent for Government approval in early 2025. In line with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP, Delivery and Reform’s 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (10 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that to date the school in question has not submitted an application for capital funding, under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, for a special education needs classroom. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I would like to thank the Deputy for the questions raised and would advise the following: Arising from the 2018-19 review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in primary and post-primary schools, the need to update the curriculum was identified as a key priority. This updating work began with Junior Cycle SPHE and more recently the Minister has approved an updated SPHE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: Bringing Live Arts to Students and Teachers Programme, known as BLAST, aims to provide pupils in schools all over the country, time and the space to work with a professional artist/creative practitioner on imaginative, creative and fun projects. BLAST is a key Department of Education initiative of the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027 which aims to foster creativity in schools focus and to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The accommodation on the school site referred to by the Deputy are both rented modular units and purchased modular units, which were vacated on the recent completion of the new school building for the school in question. The rented units are in the ownership of a modular supplier and the Department is no longer paying rent in respect of these units. The purchased units are in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for a 2 x Special education classrooms, a Principal's office, a main office, 3 x Special education tuition rooms, additional staff and pupil toilets and extra parking associated with the new Special classes. The school also requested an upgrade to all existing staff and pupils toilets, yard repairs and drainage works, and an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The first phase of the Schools Photovoltaic (PV) Programme launched in November 2023 to over 1600 schools. It will provide eligible schools with 6 kWp of roof-mounted solar PV, which equates to approximately 16 solar panels. Since the launch of the first phase of the Schools PV Programme late last year, my Department has had a very positive response to the scheme, with over 1500 schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Meals Programme (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Meals Programme, operated by the Department of Social Protection (DSP), provides funding towards the provision of food services to over 2,700 schools and organisations and benefitting some 472,000 children. The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023/24 school year over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The wellbeing of all learners is a key priority of the Department, as well as the empowerment of parents and school communities through education and information. It was with this in mind that my Department published guidelines in November 2023 for parents of primary-age children called Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free. These guidelines provide practical advice and suggestions to support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The wellbeing of all learners is a key priority of the Department, as well as the empowerment of parents and school communities through education and information. It was with this in mind that my Department published guidelines last November for parents of primary-age children called Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free. These guidelines provide practical advice and suggestions to support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Discipline (9 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that neither I nor any of my officials have had any meetings with companies, or representatives of companies, that produce phone pouches. As has been outlined, it is intended to support schools to implement the recently announced ban on the use of students' personal mobile phones during the school day, through the provision of appropriate procurement mechanisms. Any such...