Results 15,761-15,780 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (11 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades. It is assumed the Deputy’s question refers to students who are completing their leaving certificate through Irish and who will opt to apply for...

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, my Department currently has site requirements for three schools in the area, including the school to which the Deputy refers. My Department has completed the acquisition of one site and is progressing the conveyancing of another site. While my Department had anticipated the early completion of the acquisition of the second site this acquisition remains to be finalised....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (11 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: In relation to school enrolment generally, it is my Department's responsibility to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. It is a matter for parents to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. In schools where there are more applicants than places available a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (11 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that the practical situation is that a junior national school is one that caters for the junior primary cycle, i.e. Junior Infants up to Second Class. There are 92 schools which have a maximum standard of up to second class.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (11 Mar 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. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. Budget 2021 provided for a one point...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (11 Mar 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 113,100 children, including over 14,500 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 Staff (11 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The general principles to apply to the management of COVID-19 includes the safety and welfare of teachers 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 are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0049/2020. The HSE has recently published guidance for the education sector in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (11 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: New arrangements regarding Illness Benefit payments came into effect from the 01/09/2019. An information note issued to all school employees in September 2019, advising them of these changes. Under these arrangements, the Department now recoups what is due from salary based on the dates of absence as keyed by the school through OLCS. As outlined in the Sick Leave Schemethe SNA is required to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (11 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The Teacher Fee Refund Scheme is still opened for applications for courses/part of courses completed in the period 01 September 2019 to 31 August 2020. Courses must be completed within the relevant time period. For the purposes of administering the scheme, the course completion date is considered to be the date of the final course day or final exam of the programme. Details on the application...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (11 Mar 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, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (11 Mar 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, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (11 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware and has been recently advised, work is progressing and is ongoing in respect of technical matters crucial to the delivery of the acquisition. This includes matters relating to traffic. My Department is continuing to actively engage regularly with Kildare Co. Co. and the Landowner, who is currently presenting a masterplan of the site as a whole. It remains a priority for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018 to facilitate construction of three classrooms, one resource room, two standard WC and one WC for assisted users. A Stage 1 submission was received in my Department which indicated that there are site restrictions applicable to the project, which had cost implications for its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (10 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades. This decision followed intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (10 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The current requirements for the Gaeltacht Learning Period (GLP) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placement as outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. The Teaching Council Curricular Subject Requirements sets out the requirements for each of the approved curricular subjects in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (10 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 480 and 495 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. A number of GLPs due to take place in 2020 were postponed due to public...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: During the Covid-19 pandemic, substitute teachers with a contract (written or verbal) covering an approved absence receive payment for the duration of that contract. The period of service that the teachers is paid for is reckonable towards incremental progression on the payscale.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (10 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers. The criteria, reviewed annually with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (10 Mar 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. Parents have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. This school is in the bundle referred to as ‘Project Dargle’. The NDFA is currently preparing for the appointment of a Design Team in respect of this bundle of projects. At this early stage, it is not possible...