Results 15,661-15,680 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

Seanad: Education (Leaving Certificate Examinations) (Accredited Grades) Bill 2021: Second Stage (7 May 2021)

Norma Foley: When I opened this debate, I set out the objectives and principles underpinning this Bill. At its simplest, it will be appreciated that the Bill is designed to help our leaving certificate classes of 2021 to complete their schooling and to progress to the next chapter of their lives. This progression and transition is one of the recognised milestones in the lives of so many students for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: Schools are required to submit to Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) a student absence report, twice annually, indicating learners who have been absent for more than 20 days. The latest published data in relation to the Analysis of School Attendance Data is for the academic year 2017/2018 and can be found at the following link . The analysis to the school attendance data for the academic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sports Facilities (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department's Design & Build programme. The project is currently in architectural planning with the planning application being finalised and due to be submitted to the local authority shortly. The project is to deliver a 1,000 pupil post primary school + 4 classroom Special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 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. Based on the public health...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (6 May 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 Midleton and Carrigtwohill. 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 – pupils have applied for a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The Covid-19 pandemic and associated school closures has impacted children and their families, especially those with special educational needs and at risk of educational disadvantage. To mitigate this, the Department provided a number of additional supports for children with Special Educational Needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage in 2020/21 school year. Additional guidance was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together. I can confirm to the Deputy that this school has been granted approval for two mainstream classrooms and two SET rooms under the Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme. This project was recently granted Planning Permission from the Local Authority and Department officials have requested the school to submit a Stage 2b report to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware my Department has established a drawdown framework for the supply and installation of modular accommodation to assist schools with the delivery of accommodation for September 2021. The drawdown framework is primarily being used for projects where there is greatest demographic demand. Schools availing of the framework have been identified and the school authority...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: As the deputy is aware, the Irish language is accorded special status in Ireland and is protected by various pieces of Legislation and in particular Article 8 of our Constitution which states that “The Irish Language as the national language is the first official language”. The Education Act 1998 recognises the particular responsibility of the education system with regard to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (6 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. As per the information requested...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Island Communities (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department recognises the very important role played by small schools and island schools in maintaining the communities and culture of the islands, and is therefore strongly committed to the maintenance of the schools on the islands. For this reason and in recognition of the unique challenges faced by island schools my Department has provided additional supports to such schools. As...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: As the deputy is aware, the Irish language is accorded special status in Ireland and is protected by various pieces of Legislation and in particular Article 8 of our Constitution which states that “The Irish Language as the national language is the first official language”. The Education Act 1998 recognises the particular responsibility of the education system with regard to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (6 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 30 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 basis...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (6 May 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, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, the Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Strategy Statements (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that, in line with the provisions of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, a draft of a new Statement of Strategy for the three year period from 2021 to 2023 was provided to me by my Department in December 2020. Following discussions regarding the draft, I expect to bring the Statement of Strategy to Government later in May. It will subsequently be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, a building project to provide improved accommodation for the schools in question is included on the Department's school building programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). The accommodation brief for the project is being developed and my Department will continue to liaise with the schools in this regard. The Department has also approved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (6 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. The CMO has made it very clear in his advices to Government which are published on gov.ie, that schools are safe environments, with very little evidence of transmission within schools, and that the majority of infections of children and adolescents occurs outside the school setting. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Sign Language (5 May 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 365, 357 and 363 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (5 May 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is in discussions with the HSE regarding the disposal of a site to the HSE, which is part of an existing school site, for the development of a primary care centre. The proposals being discussed are to include the provision of a facility by the HSE for the use of the school. The details of this proposal are currently being finalised by my Department with the HSE. When the details...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 May 2021)

Norma Foley: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. This project is one of the school building projects on my Department’s traditional build programme. The project commenced on site in May 2019 and subject to no issues arising It is envisaged that...