Results 16,001-16,020 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Clár Oiliúna Tosaigh Múinteoirí (25 Feb 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: European Council Meetings (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Education policy issues are dealt with at EU level as part of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport (EYCS) Council. Four such meetings took place since 27 June 2020: - Informal Education Ministers Council, Osnabruck, Germany. 16/17 September 2020. (hybrid format) - EU Education Ministers Council, 30 November 2020. (videoconference) - Informal Education Ministers Council, 22 January...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Holidays (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The scheduling of the school holiday periods during the academic years is agreed between the managerial authorities of schools, the teacher unions and my Department for the purposes of standardising breaks at Christmas, Easter and mid-term. This is important to ensure certainty for the school community about the dates of school holidays. There are no plans to change these arrangements. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department is progressing the upgrade of existing payroll systems and the feasibility of introducing self-service functionality and, in particular, online payslips is being assessed as a matter of priority. A range of issues need to be considered in providing such functionality to in excess of 130,000 payees including security and safeguarding of personal information.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together. The information requested by the Deputy is being collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 390, 462, 470, 471, 477, 480, 485, 488, 490, 492, 494 and 496 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 391, 392, 420, 538 and 539 together. 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 school are effective but recognise there is an ongoing need to reduce societal...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 393, 394, 440, 493, 495, 500, 504, 506, 508, 515, 534, 535 and 543 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: During the September-December 2020 period, the Inspectorate carried out research on how well primary, post-primary, special schools and Youthreach centres were operating in the context of the new arrangements relating to COVID-19. The research captured a range of perspectives, including those of principals, teachers, parents and students. It involved surveys of different stakeholders,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Offices (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that in line with Government policy my department has facilities available to enable breastfeeding breaks for staff in accordance with Circular 31/2006.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 399, 429, 540 and 541 together. My Department has developed a plan with the relevant education stakeholders for the phased return to in-school learning for children in primary, post-primary and special schools. From the 1 March the first four classes at primary level – junior and senior infants, first and second class – and final year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: 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 school are effective but recognise there is an ongoing need to reduce societal activity and movement to curb the spread of the virus at this time. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is liaising with the Patron of the school in question regarding the school's accommodation needs.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (24 Feb 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. New schools established since 2011 to meet demographic demand (including a new post...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (24 Feb 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, 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 will arise. Major new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Catchment Areas (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. The school planning areas in Waterford City and County are as follows: - Youghal - Ring - Lismore - Fermoy - Clonmel - Dungarvan - Carrick-on-Suir - Kilmacthomas - Tramore - Waterford For clarity, this list reflects school planning areas which are fully or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent/CID holding teachers, to other schools that have vacancies. At primary level, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from the Main Redeployment Panel in the first instance and thereafter from Supplementary Redeployment Panels comprised of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 Feb 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 1975 Summary of Accounting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The building projects for the schools referred to by the Deputy are 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 commenced on the 4th December 2019. The second stage of the tender process...