Results 16,381-16,400 of 19,660 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials in my Department have commenced the site identification process for the permanent location of the school referred to. As the overall site acquisition process is at an early stage, the school will be established in interim accommodation until the permanent facility is developed. The assessment of potential locations for interim accommodation has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 Jan 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 unique challenges to those preparing to sit State Examinations. Planning for the 2021 Leaving Certificate is underway by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and my Department. It is recognised that a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department of Education and Skills promotes the quality of teaching and learning through the provision of continuing professional development (CPD) and supports for teachers and principals. The majority of this support is provided by the national teacher education support services and by local education centres. The national teacher education support services are the Professional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (27 Jan 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: State Examinations (27 Jan 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 (27 Jan 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 unique challenges to those preparing to sit State Examinations. Planning for the 2021 Leaving Certificate is underway by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and my Department. It is recognised that a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 Jan 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 unique challenges to those preparing to sit State Examinations. Planning for the 2021 Junior Cycle is underway by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and my Department. It is recognised that a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: In relation to the Deputy’s question I can clarify that NEPS psychologists are not, per se, assigned by county but work within a regional and local office structure serving the needs of schools in their immediate vicinity. NEPS is organised on an eight-region structure with each region led and managed by a Regional Director. Currently there are 23 regional and local offices providing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 478 and 479 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 of over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pensions (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that officials from the Pension Unit of my Department have clarified that direct contact has been made with the person referred to in their query. A statement in response to this person’s request has been issued. Every year the Pension Unit receives retirement applications from approximately 1500 teaching and non-teaching staff of primary and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that the school in question submitted an application for capital funding under my Department's multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2020 onwards for Science Labs (Category 5). In late 2020, the details of the schools that will receive funding in Summer 2021 in respect of applications submitted for "Roof Works projects" (Category 1) and "Toilet Facilities projects" (Categeory...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Childcare Services (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: The provision of early learning and childcare services is the responsibility of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Schooling (27 Jan 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 already provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: Covid-19 has impacted significantly on all elements of our education system. Recognising that impact, this Government, in July 2020, approved a significant financial package to support the Roadmap for the Full Return to School for the 2020/2021 school year. These supports enabled schools to successfully reopen last August/September and helped sustain that reopening until mid-December....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disability Act Employment Targets (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005 requires that public bodies promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and ensure that 3% of staff employed by them are people with disabilities. The following table provides the information sought by the Deputy including the percentage returns made to the National Disability Authority by my Department for the years in question. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Appointments to State Boards (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 489 together. The details concerning the eleven bodies under the aegis of my Department, sought by the Deputy, are available in the attached tables. For the Deputy’s information, details of board appointments to State Boards under the remit of my Department, including the term of the specific appointment and remuneration levels (where fees are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department is committed to providing clear communication to all stakeholders at all times in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department does not hold a centralised budget for communication. Communication requirements are considered in line with policy development and an appropriate communications plan is devised to support the implementation of the relevant policy objective. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department has prioritised clear communication with all stakeholders since the start of the pandemic and the closure of school buildings to pupils on 12 March 2020. The focus has been on providing public health information and resources and age-appropriate materials for children, parents and school communities in appropriate and accessible formats, including multilingual...

Covid-19 (Special Educational Needs Provision): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: I thank the Ceann Comhairle and appreciate his indulgence. I again note that I was not given the facility to reply by the Deputies. To Deputy Pringle, I say that after five months of school closures, from March to August, there was a view, shared by the Deputy and others, that it would not be possible to reopen the schools. In my Ministry, we delivered the reopening of schools after...

Covid-19 (Special Educational Needs Provision): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Norma Foley: There is no question around the intent of this Government to deliver for children with additional needs. We do that in a co-operative fashion with everyone in the education sector.