Results 15,861-15,880 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I am making the point that a variety of mechanisms could be used to address this issue. My Department is looking at this issue, and when that has been finalised, I will respond directly to Deputy McNamara.

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: Those forms were sent as a matter of best practice. The Deputy will be aware this is happening in different settings where the workers, or those who engage in a particular area of work, such as in this instance school students and staff, are obliged to fill in forms to state they do not have Covid-19 symptoms. The Deputy will also appreciate that not only the Department but the deputy chief...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: In that respect, they have been asked to fill in the forms to attest that they do have Covid-19 symptoms and that they have abided by all public health advice.

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: Deputy Tóibín raised an issue about the leaving certificate. I want to make clear that guidelines have been sent to schools about all aspects of the leaving certificate with dates for oral examinations and coursework. It has all been made clear to schools. For example, oral examinations will take place between 26 March and 15 April. The final assessments for the accredited...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputies. Deputy Dillon asked about the leaving certificate examination and remote learning. I thank him for raising those issues and I appreciate this is an area of considerable concern to him. I acknowledge the work he has done in engaging through his survey of students and all of that. He is correct that it was most definitely the preference of students that there would be...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: In the first instance, I appreciate the Deputy's acknowledgement that the return to school is a positive step. I think all of society regards it as a positive for students. All studies, both national and international, acknowledge that students do better when they are actually in school. On the issue of the acknowledgement of schools being safe, it is very important to point out that...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On the point made by the Deputy in respect of the leaving certificate, the NCCA is carrying out a review of the senior cycle. It is my understanding that the NCCA has almost completed the review. It is being refined and will be presented to me and the Department. We will study the review. It will be the springboard for further discussion and, ultimately, decision-making with regard to the...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I will go as quickly as I can. I confirm to Deputy Flaherty that the DEIS identification model he referenced is currently being refined and worked through. There is significant investment in DEIS schools of more than €150 million every year. The Deputy articulated another very positive move yesterday in terms of DEIS schools and making specific funding available there, ensuring...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for his questions. If I do not get the opportunity to respond to all the issues he raised, we will certainly revert to him. Certainly, the Department can revert to Deputy Gannon. I will first address the issue of mask-wearing for primary school students. The Deputy will appreciate that right from the beginning, as I have said on numerous occasions, from September to...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On the point regarding the return to school, in this instance and since we reopened schools in September, we have abided by the advice of public health and NPHET. In this instance, it is their best advice that it should be a cautious and phased return to school, which I confirm again is largely due to the mobility of such a large number of people - 1.1 million. It was for that reason in the...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy is correct in saying we touched upon many of these issues yesterday at the committee and I thank him for that opportunity. Regarding resources for schools, in the interest of balance I must say the Government has shown incredible determination to resource education at a time, as the Deputy has correctly said, that is not normal; it is far from normal. It is definitely a Covid-19...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy raised the very important issue of well-being. I again confirm that this is a key priority for the Department. He will be aware that in the most recent budget, significant funding was made available for the provision of more than 110 guidance counsellors and 17 additional National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologists. That is a statement of intent from the...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The music exams will proceed. When we made our announcement we were clear that, to the greatest extent possible, oral and practical exams would be part of the written exams in June. There are three subject areas for which, on public health advice, will not be possible, namely, construction studies, engineering and physical education, PE. We have taken public health advice on all of this. ...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: On the issue of music, as I have articulated, we have made clear that music practical exams will continue but we are mindful that music has particular requirements and differing approaches are taken to the exam. It could be an individual exam or a group or an ensemble exam, or whatever it might be, so specific public health advice is required. We have previously taken public health advice...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I am happy to be here to continue the discussions which some of the Deputies in the Chamber today and I had at the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science yesterday. I will share my time with the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan. The House will be aware of the significant announcements and developments in recent weeks about students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 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. The tender process to establish a new Design & Build Contractors Framework commenced on the 4th December 2019. The second stage of the tender process which involves the detailed tender for several schools has commenced and is expected to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 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 to establish the new Framework commenced on the 4th December 2019. The second...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The Government announced plans in April 2018 for the establishment of 42 new schools over the four year period 2019 to 2022, including a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2020 to serve the Citywest/Saggart (Tallaght & Newcastle_Rathcoole school planning areas) as a regional solution. This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has received an application for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation scheme (ASA), from the school in question. The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The second half of the NDP (from 2023 onwards) will see...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy, that an application for Major Capital Funding, has been received from the school in question. Applications from schools for major capital works must be considered in the context of the demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming years. Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector...