Results 16,281-16,300 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 365 together. The school building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme.  The application for planning permission for the permanent school was lodged in December 2018 and the notification of the Decision to Grant Permission (subject to 18 no. conditions) was...

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

Norma Foley: As at 22 January 2021, I can confirm to the Deputy that there are 5 pre-fab units in situ at Primary schools and 3 at Post Primary Schools in County Roscommon. I wish to advise the Deputy that within the context of a rapidly increasing school population, my Department's priority is to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place.  In this regard, it...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Standards (3 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable schools to facilitate the continuity of learning for all pupils/students in a Covid-19 context. These are available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool. This involves all teachers including Special Education Teachers, providing remote teaching and learning to all pupils in their class or on their...

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

Norma Foley: My Department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by students, teachers and families as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic has brought significant challenges to the education system, and I am acutely aware of the impacts that this has had on those students preparing to sit their final examinations. It is recognised that a flexible and agile approach is necessary in light of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (3 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The site acquisition process in respect of the school in question is currently underway. A potential site option has been identified and discussions are ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of site acquisitions generally, it is not possible to comment further at this stage. 

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

Norma Foley: The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to the safe operation of schools.  The CMO has stated 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 infections of children and adolescents occurs outside the school setting. The...

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

Norma Foley: As previously noted in response to Question No. 209 of 21 January 2021, on 3 October 2020 I announced that I had asked that a comprehensive independent review of the design and implementation of the Calculated Grades process should take place. I want this review to consider key aspects of the Calculated Grades process, including the initial decision to adopt the model, whether the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (3 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: Schools Data (3 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in the  planning areas referred to by the Deputy. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (3 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: School Accommodation (3 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, the patronage divesting process arises from the recommendations of the 2012 report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, following which the Department undertook surveys of parental preferences in 43 areas of stable population in 2012 and 2013 to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (3 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The policy of my Department is to offer the best quality connectivity to all schools in line with the technical solutions available in the market and within financial constraints. Currently investment of some €13m is allocated annually for the provision of internet connectivity to schools. Broadband capacity can vary across geographical locations and is dependent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (3 Feb 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. Primary schools are currently provided with...

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

Norma Foley: The figures that the Deputy requested are set out in tabular form in the attached spreadsheet. The information is based on the annual October Returns which were submitted to the Department by Post Primary schools. Academic Year Overall Number of Students Completing Post Primary Education * Programme Number of Schools offering LCA Number of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (3 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The figures that the Deputy requested are set out in tabular form in the attached spreadsheet. The information is based on the annual October Returns which were submitted to the Department by Post Primary schools. Number of Schools Offering LCA (2015 to 2021) (Non DEIS) Academic Year DEIS (Y/N) Programme Number of Schools 2016-2017...

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

Norma Foley: My Department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by students, teachers and families as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic has brought significant challenges to the education system, and I am acutely aware of the impacts that this has had on those students preparing to sit their final examinations. It is recognised that a flexible and agile approach is necessary in light of the...

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

Norma Foley: My Department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by students, teachers and families as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic has brought significant challenges to the education system, and I am acutely aware of the impacts that this has had on those students preparing to sit their final examinations. It is recognised that a flexible and agile approach is necessary in light of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (3 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The Deputy may be aware that the new section 29 appeals system commenced on 12th November 2020. Section 7 of the Education (Admissions to School) Act 2018 provided for the replacement of Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 with a series of new sections numbered 29 to 29F.    These new sections are designed to work alongside the wider admissions framework in the 2018...

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