Results 15,881-15,900 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that following enquiries to the school it was found they had mailed the application to the incorrect section within the Department. We have now made contact with the school and have asked them to email the documentation directly to the team who will assess their application.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 402, 419 and 505 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: Schools Administration (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: As you may be aware, Officials in The Department of Education are currently in advanced negotiation with a landowner, in regard the proposed acquisition of a site deemed suitable for the replacement Curragh post primary school to which you refer. The proposal also seeks to cater for expected demographic demand in the area. This negotiation is ongoing, in line with our comprehensive site...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (3 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 South Kildare. 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 place to a...

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

Norma Foley: The public health restrictions which resulted in the closure of schools in March 2020 highlighted the absolute necessity for schools to be agile in providing for continuity of schooling in the future. As a contingency measure against the possibility of partial or full school closures, my Department has provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable...

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be 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, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: As part of the Government Decision on 17 February last, the normal Junior Cycle Examination processes were cancelled. Given the priority that needed to be accorded to the Leaving Certificate examinations and the challenge associated with running them, it was not considered feasible to run a set of Junior Cycle Examinations also. This year, early school leavers and adult learners were...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Counselling Services (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has invested heavily in schools to support them throughout this pandemic and has prioritised the return to school for children with special educational needs. Promoting wellbeing is a fundamental element of the Department’s overall plan to support school communities as we continue to manage the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The National Educational Psychological...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 410, 413, 415, 456 and 487 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 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: Child Abuse (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: An ex gratia redress 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 scheme, was established in 2015 to provide an effective remedy for a specific category of people, namely those persons who had commenced domestic litigation but who had discontinued those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The school in question applied for funding under SWS 2020 for the refurbishment of Science Labs (Category 5). The school authorities may be aware that in December 2020 I announced details of the schools that will receive funding in summer 2021 in respect of applications submitted for Roof Projects and Toilet Facilities projects. Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cúrsaí Gaeilge (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: Comhlíontar na ceanglais reatha le haghaidh Tréimhsí Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht faoi chláir Oideachais Tosaigh Múinteoirí bunscoile i bhfoirm dhá cheann de shocrúcháin dhá sheachtain, mar atá leagtha amach sa doiciméad Céim: Caighdeáin maidir le hOideachas Tosaigh Múinteoirí ón gComhairle Mhúinteoireachta....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 417, 420, 421, 427, 430, 431, 436, 440, 473, 494, 503, 516 and 524 together. The Deputy will be aware that, on the 1st March 2021, I announced a package of measures to tackle educational disadvantage. This announcement includes a one point reduction in class size from 22:1 to 21:1 in Urban Band 1 vertical schools and 20:1 to 19:1 in Urban Band 1 junior...

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

Norma Foley: In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data in a way that takes account of the significant local and regional variations in demographic trends and enrolment projections, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas (SPAs). Using school planning area boundaries within my Department’s Geographic Information System (GIS) allows data...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (3 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 the School...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is conscious that closing schools has had adverse consequences for individuals and families. The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. Public health remain of the view that schools are low risk environments and that the infection prevention and control measures in place in schools are effective, but recognise the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: The Appropriation Account for my Department contains details of the contracts deemed to be non-compliant with procurement guidelines. Details from the 2018 and 2109 Appropriation Account are attached for the Deputy’s information. A complete record is not yet available in respect of 2020 or 2021 as the appropriation account is compiled after the end of the accounting period. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has had no engagement with the group referred to by the Deputy. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Mar 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 439, 486 and 525 together. My Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to the infection prevention and control measure appropriate for schools. While current public health advice makes it a requirement for face coverings to be worn by teachers, non-teaching staff in primary and post primary schools and students attending post...