Results 16,041-16,060 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will appreciate, it is not possible for my Department to confirm the number of students that will be seeking to enroll in any given post primary school(s) as the question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the Board of Management on behalf of the school patron and my Department does not hold information in this regard. Parents are entitled to apply to...

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

Norma Foley: As the Deputy may be aware, my Department establishes and supports new schools where a demographic need for such a new school has been identified. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that officials from my Department are working closely with Wexford County Council towards acquiring a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time. I can, however, assure you that the acquisition of a new site for the...

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 Staff (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment and are available on the Department's website. The school referred to is an Education and Training Board (ETB) school. The Department provides a staffing allocation, including an allocation for guidance provision, to each ETB...

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

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Sick Pay Scheme (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The Public Service Sick Leave Scheme, which applies to SNAs, is regulated by the Public Service Management (Sick Leave) Regulations 2014, SI 1of 2014, as amended by the Public Service Management (Sick Leave) (Amendment) Regulations 2015, SI 384 of 2015 These regulations provides for the following: - A maximum of 3 months (92 days) on full pay in a year - Followed by a maximum of 3 months (91...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that It is intended that the school in question will relocate to an existing building currently occupied on an interim basis by another school while awaiting the construction of a building project for that school. In this regard, the building project for that school is at an advanced stage of the tender process and the Department is currently awaiting a Tender...

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

Norma Foley: I can inform the Deputy that Department officials had a virtual meeting on 5th February with officials from Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) to whom the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery. The project was among the matters discussed at that meeting. The Deputy will be aware that a number of design issues have arisen with this project. Most...

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

Norma Foley: The Chief State Solicitor's Office on behalf of the Department has been engaging with the property owners' legal representative on the draft lease for some time and the vast majority of the clauses in the draft lease are agreed. The Department has also engaged directly with the property owners’ legal representative with a view to facilitating agreement on the small few outstanding...

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

Norma Foley: As Minister for Education, I approve the numbers of students which the four State-funded providers can take in to both the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) and Professional Masters of Education (PME) programmes of primary initial teacher education. The approved intake for each, over the last number of years, has been as follows: - 1,000 places per annum for the B. Ed. and - 200 places per annum...

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. The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review and work on an...

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 are required, in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (24 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 466, 478, 479, 502 and 530 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Holidays (24 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. My Department has provided a suite of guidance...

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

Norma Foley: 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 health restrictions. Also, due to the uncertainties of...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 472 to 474, inclusive, together. 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...

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 the...

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

Norma Foley: 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 health restrictions. Also, due to the uncertainties of how GLPs...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 481 to 483, inclusive, together. 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...