Results 15,481-15,500 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sports Facilities (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has published guidance for teaching and learning for schools on their return to school. The guidance provides that the use of external coaches or tutors is at the discretion of the board of management who can approve these visitors once they are satisfied that they are Garda vetted, adhere to public health advice, trained by their governing bodies with regard to COVID-19 and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: I am aware of the recently published report, referred to by the Deputy, and the recommendations contained therein. I am aware of the need to support these schools to address the issues which are highlighted in the report. In that regard, my Department is currently considering the recommendations of the report. Officials from my Department will engage directly with the schools identified...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: Under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, an appeal may be made to the Department of Education in respect of a decision by a school Board of Management or a person acting on behalf of a Board of Management to permanently exclude a student from the school, to suspend a student from attendance at the school for a period or periods totalling not less than 20 school days in a school year or to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are 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: Schools Building Projects (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. My Department is currently in the final stages of the process of establishing a Framework of Design and Build Contractors to which Design and Build projects can be tendered. The tender process which involves the detailed tender for several schools is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers is devolved for delivery to the Cork Education and Training Board (CETB). Under this arrangement, it will be a matter for the CETB to appoint a Design Team for the design and construction phases of the project. Following a request from the CETB for a review of the long term projected enrolments, my Department is revising the schedule of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: A detailed analysis of school enrolment data and the latest data available from Census 2016, using the HP Deprivation Index, has been carried out by members of the DEIS Technical Group. This group contains representatives of the Department’s Statistics and Social Inclusion Units, the Inspectorate and the Educational Research Centre. My Department has commenced a consultation process...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy may be aware that the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 provided for the replacement of section 29 of the Education Act 1998 with sections 29A to 29F. Under the new arrangements for appeals taken in respect of refusal to admit due to the school being oversubscribed, the appeals committee conduct a paper based examination of all such appeals. Prior to these appeals being...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that the question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the managerial authority of those schools. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. I would also advise the Deputy that where capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1058 and 1071 together. The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. Budget 2020 provided for the re-instatement of the grant to cover the full...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers commenced on site in July 2020 is progressing satisfactorily and subject to no issues arising is expected to be completed in Quarter 4 of 2022. The estimated cost of the project is circa €17.5m, which includes cost of the works, Fees, plus Furniture and Equipment grants.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teachers Conciliation Council (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). This Council is comprised of representatives of teachers, school management, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Education and is chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission. The criteria for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The Commission in this regard operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in 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: School Transport (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are 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 Department's...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1064 and 1065 together. As you are aware, the ex gratia scheme was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from and in response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) relating to Louise O'Keeffe. The Department undertook to review of the scheme in response to a determination by the Independent Assessor, Mr Justice...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations Commission (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The Commission in this regard operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in 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 Correspondence (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The Commission in this regard operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in 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: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: The general principles to apply to the management of COVID-19 includes the safety and welfare of teachers, Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and other school staff and the minimisation of the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning. The current COVID-19 arrangements in place for teachers and SNAs are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0021/2021. My Department has an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (21 Apr 2021)

Norma Foley: Complaints of this nature are matters for individual schools, as employers, under relevant legislation and procedures, and my Department has no direct role in managing such complaints. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Acts employers have a duty to ensure the health and safety of their employees in the workplace including “prevent any improper conduct or behaviour likely to...