Results 15,581-15,600 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The different hourly rates payable arises from the application of a reduction of 10% in the pay of new appointees to the public service and all new appointees by Government as part of Budget 2011. Where additional supervision hours arise, they should be offered in the sequence set out in the circular and in accordance with the rates therein which were agreed in consultation with union...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department received advice from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) on the use of face coverings in educational settings. Face coverings do not have to be worn outdoors. Indoors where physical distancing is not possible, face coverings should be worn by teachers, staff, and post primary students. Further information for parents and students/pupils on the wearing of face...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The school building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. The project is currently at Stage 2b – Detailed Design which includes obtaining all statutory approvals, preparing a set of fully detailed Tender documents, and preparing an accurate pre-tender cost plan. My Department is also currently nearing the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: A list of properties up to December 2020 owned by me as Minister for Education located in County Mayo is attached. The listed properties in the main include properties where the control and management of the property has been transferred to a school patron who operates the school in the property. The list below also includes two sites where it is planned to develop schools. My officials have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 610 and 611 together. My Department remains committed to providing permanent accommodation to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. I can confirm that officials in my Department have been actively engaging with officials from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council via emails, phone calls and through online meeting platforms to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (31 Mar 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. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction. An application for Planning Permission in respect of the works was submitted to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The building project for the Carrigtwohill schools campus is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme and planning permission has been secured for the campus project. The decision to grant planning permission by the Local Authority was subject to 57 conditions primarily related to the specification and construction of a significant road network which is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (31 Mar 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 process of establishing a Framework of Design and Build Contractors to which Design and Build projects can be tendered. The tender process commenced on the 4th December 2019. The second stage of the tender process...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including school planning areas referred to by the Deputy. Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors: - Duplication of applications –...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Broadband Infrastructure (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The policy of my Department is to offer the best quality connectivity to all schools in line with the technical solutions available in the market and within financial constraints, through the Schools Broadband Programme. Currently investment of some €13m is allocated annually for the provision of internet connectivity to schools. As you will be aware, broadband capacity can vary across...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: All 890 schools (2019/20 academic year figures) in the DEIS programme were offered the opportunity to run a one week summer programme in 2020. Schools were asked to identify those pupils most in need of this support and they had flexibility on when to hold it during the summer. DEIS primary schools were offered the opportunity to run a Literacy and Numeracy Camp. DEIS post-primary schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, 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, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (31 Mar 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 commenced a consultation process...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: Following the DEIS Review process, and informed by consultation with education partners, my Department introduced an objective statistics based model for identifying school for inclusion in the DEIS programme. The key data sources for the new model are the latest available school enrolment data from the POD and PPOD systems and the latest data available from Census 2016 under the HP...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department has received an application for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school referred to by the Deputy and the school authority has recently agreed to a proposed project brief, which includes specialist teaching accommodation, but does not include PE Hall, as this does not fall under the remit of the ASA scheme. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 624 to 627, inclusive, 630 and 631 together. My Department remains committed to providing permanent accommodation to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. As the Deputy is aware, officials in my Department have been actively engaging with officials from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council via emails, phone calls and through online...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 628 and 629 together. In relation to the school to which the Deputy refers work is currently ongoing to source suitable interim accommodation for the school for September 2021. Pending agreement on accommodation arrangements it is not possible to comment further at this time, however, my Department remains in contact with the school's Patron Body.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Circulars (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: From the outset of this COVID-19 pandemic NEPS has been proactive in supporting schools through the development of advice and supports in priority areas. On the ground, at local level NEPS psychologists have continued the delivery of a psychological service to schools. As schools reopened in September 2020 the focus of NEPS work in school was on consultation and individual...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The report ‘Males into Primary Teaching’ was published in 2005 and was part of a co-ordinated campaign at that time to encourage male and female students to enter the primary teaching profession. I recognise the value of the teaching profession reflecting the diversity of Irish society and that it is positive for children to have female and male role models in schools. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (31 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The school building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. The specific matter to which the Deputy refers was identified during the construction process and remedial measures put in place. The matter was satisfactorily resolved and is not an ongoing issue. My Department is taking the appropriate steps to ensure...