Results 14,161-14,180 of 19,621 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Freedom of Information (9 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department reports annually to both the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Office of the Information Commissioner on Freedom of Information activity. The Office of the Information Commissioner publish this data in its annual report and the annual reports up to 2020 are available on the OIC’s website. The following table provides the total number of requests received...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commissions of Investigation (9 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: There have been no commissions of investigation, established under the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004, under the remit of the Department of Education over the past decade. The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was established in 1999 and was subsequently put on a statutory basis under the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act, 2000. The overall cost of the Commission paid by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (9 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: It is a key objective of the Government’s plan for living with COVID-19 (Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19) that our children and school staff can attend school safely. Plans were put in place to support the full reopening of schools in time for the start of the new school year at the end of August/ start of September 2021.  My Department wrote...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (9 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department is aware of the vitally important role played by school secretaries and caretakers in the running of our schools.  In recognition of this role, special COVID-19 working arrangements were put in place and the Employee Assistance Service was extended to grant funded staff.  The Department also previously fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (9 Sep 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: Ministerial Appointments (9 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the person referred to in the Deputy's question was not engaged by my Department or any of the bodies under the aegis of my Department during the term of the current Government.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Government Communications (9 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department does not provide access for staff to either of the services specified in her question and that neither I nor my special advisers have used the services referred to by the Deputy for official purposes.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (9 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools and supporting small schools. As part of the Budget 2021 measures, the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule and the introduction of a three point reduction in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (9 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department is aware of the vitally important role played by school secretaries and caretakers in the running of our schools.  In recognition of this role, special COVID-19 working arrangements were put in place and the Employee Assistance Service was extended to grant funded staff.  The Department also previously fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Functions (9 Sep 2021)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. It is a function of the Council under the Teaching Council Acts (s7(2)) to act as the competent authority for recognition of qualifications obtained by a person...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Paindéim (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 920 and 921 together. The aim of all of the Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures that have been put in place for schools is to support schools to operate safely and prevent the introduction of Covid-19 and also the onward of transmission of Covid-19 among the school community. There is clear evidence from the operation of schools during the past...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 922, 926 and 944 together. I am aware of the issues raised by the Centre referred to by the Deputies. My officials have met with representatives of the Centre on a number of occasions and are open to further engagement. The Centre sought additional funding of a minimum of €50,000 and additional funding for 12 staffing posts. In addition, the centre...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your correspondence has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply. The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The total salary costs for psychologists in the National Educational Psychological Service up to the end of June 2021 is €18.6M and the average salary of a psychologist is €70,000.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge the detailed proposal from the school referred to by the Deputy. I am aware there has been extensive engagement over the past few years on this issue with my Department, and that this particular school had made representations previously. The funding arrangements for post primary schools reflect the sectoral arrangements which exist at post primary level. Voluntary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. This year, just under 25% of the total Education budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special educational needs (SEN).As a result, the numbers of special education teachers, SNAs and special class and school places are at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. Dublin 12 is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The Early Start programme was established in 1994, and is a one-year intervention to meet the needs of children aged between 3 years and 5 years who are at risk of not reaching their potential within the school system. It involves an educational programme to enhance overall development, help prevent school failure and offset the effects of social disadvantage. Since the inception of Early...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. Home tuition is not an alternative to a school placement and is provided in very limited and specific circumstances. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (27 Jul 2021)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area. The...