Results 15,621-15,640 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: Fórsa trade union have tabled a claim seeking public service status for secretaries and caretakers who are currently employed directly by schools but which did not include any other school sector staff. Officials from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and School Management Bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on the claim. On the 27th of October 2020,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Sign Language (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The Irish Sign Language Act 2017 provides inter alia that the Minister will establish a scheme for the provision of Irish Sign Language (ISL) classes for the family of deaf children and education and support for children whose primary language is ISL attending recognised schools; and training for teachers of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Many pupils who are Deaf or hard of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The general principles to apply to the management of COVID-19 includes the safety and welfare of 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 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0021/2021. The Circular caters for special leave with pay...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, we have previously reached Agreement in Principle with a landowner in respect of the acquisition of a site at Donaghcumper, Celbridge. We are pleased to announce that significant progress has been made recently and we expect the acquisition to proceed to Legal Conveyancing stage in the near future. The acquisition will be subject to contract. The site is proposed to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) aims to ensure that “education contributes to sustainable development by equipping learners with the relevant knowledge (the ‘what’), the key dispositions and skills (the ‘how’) and the values (the ‘why’) that will motivate and empower them throughout their lives to become...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a devolved grant was approved to the school under the Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme 2020 to purchase one mainstream prefabricated classroom which I can confirm is currently at construction. The delivery of the project has been devolved to the School Authority. With regard to the Major Project, I am pleased to advise that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Sign Language (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, in line with The Irish Sign Language Act 2017 Act, my Department provides for an extensive range of supports to assist pupils and young persons with special educational needs, including children who are Deaf or hard of hearing, to ensure that children can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. Many pupils who are Deaf or hard of hearing are integrated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: 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 a review of the scheme in response to a determination by the Independent Assessor, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill that one of the criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 467 and 469 together. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. For the 2021/22 school year, an improvement of one point in the appointment threshold in primary schools has been introduced...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that the information is not available in the format requested, however, the relevant patronage assessment report which includes a map of the school planning area which this school was established to serve and details of parental preferences in this regard are available at the following link: . I can also advise the Deputy that officials from my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (11 May 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 (11 May 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. With regard to transport...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials from my Department routinely meet with the representatives of the Patron, An Foras Pátrúnachta every 4 - 6 weeks to discuss progress made on site acquisitions for schools under this patronage, including the school referred to by the Deputy. An Foras Pátrúnachta have been fully advised on the progress of the site identification and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: In relation to the school to which the Deputy refers, my Department issued both verbal and written communication to An Foras Pátrúnachta on Wednesday, 28 April, informing them that the interim location for the school for September 2021 will be in the Dublin Dún Laoghaire Education Training Board (DDLETB) building at Eblana Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The first school to which the Deputy refers is a new school being established in September 2021. My Department issued both verbal and written communication to the relevant Patron Body on Friday, 30th April, informing them that the interim location for the school for September 2021 will be at premises on Kill Lane, Deansgrange, Dublin when that building is vacated by its current occupant at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a number of design issues have arisen with this project including the security issues to which he refers. These issues were considered by the Department and addressed through changes in the design of the project. Thereafter, the capacity of the proposed building, and the number of staff it is required to accommodate, has been reviewed to ensure it meets the needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The funding allocated to my Department, as set down in the annual Estimates, is used to meet costs associated with the provision of educational services in our schools and various related functions. The allocation is used primarily to fund the salaries of teaching and non-teaching school staff, the development of school infrastructure, capitation funding for the ongoing running costs of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019 completed all stages of the Seanad in late 2019. My Department is currently awaiting an order for Second Stage in the Dáil at which the Bill will be read a second time and continue through the legislative process in that House. I wish to advise the Deputy that I fully support the overall aim of this legislation which is to improve the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government commits to achieving a target of at least 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030 to improve parental choice. I fully support this commitment and am working with the Department to develop a number of different approaches in the context of an expanding population and an increasing demand for multi-denominational education. The Schools Reconfiguration...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30th September. For the 2021/22 school year, an improvement of one point in the appointment threshold in primary schools has been introduced and schools will be provided with class teachers on the...