Results 16,521-16,540 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The project at the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process with a preferred bidder identified. Some information is still awaited from the identified bidder, and upon receipt of same the tender process can be finalised. Subject to no issues arising, construction should commence in Quarter 1 of 2021 with a construction period of approximately 6 months.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (18 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding has been secured for the school to which he refers and the project is being devolved for delivery to the School Authority. The execution of a Service Level Agreement (SLA) between my Department and the School Authority is currently being arranged. Once the SLA is in place, the School Authority will procure a Design Team for the project to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Attendance (18 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Schools are obliged to submit school returns to Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) twice annually, providing information related to all students who have missed 20 or more school days. When submitting these returns schools are asked to outline if such absences are explained or unexplained. Explained absences are generally for reasons such as illness or bereavement. When a student is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question. It is open to the school authority to make an application for additional accommodation through the 'Additional School Accommodation scheme (ASA)' which is available at www.education.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (18 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. NPHET remain of the view that schools are low risk environments but recognise there is a need to reduce societal activity and movement to curb the spread of the virus at this time. My Department has agreed a plan with the relevant education stakeholders for the phased return to in-person...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question. It is open to the school authority to make an application for additional accommodation through the 'Additional School Accommodation scheme (ASA)' which is available at www.education.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which she refers has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019. This project will provide for a two classroom SEN base, a staff room, a multipurpose/games room, a nurse's office and boys and girls toilets. This project was recently approved by my Department to proceed to planning. It is now a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (18 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together. The Government has always been guided by public health advice in relation to what is safe in schools. NPHET remain of the view that schools are low risk environments but recognise there is a need to reduce societal activity and movement to curb the spread of the virus at this time. My Department has agreed a plan with the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ministerial Correspondence (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: On Wednesday 17 February I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 written examinations will proceed in accordance with the normal timetable, subject to public health advice, and that oral and practical examinations and coursework would run as close to normal as possible. I also announced that students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of the vital role contributed by secretaries and caretakers within school communities and I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools. In recognition of their role, I have put special arrangements in place for this school year whereby schools will be funded to employ a replacement secretary or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: On Wednesday 17 February I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 written examinations will proceed in accordance with the normal timetable, subject to public health advice, and that oral and practical examinations and coursework would run as close to normal as possible. I also announced that students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project to which she refers has been devolved to the school for delivery under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019. Funding has been provided to deliver a 4-classroom SEN base in that context. I can confirm that a Design Team was recently procured and a Stage 1 report is now due to be submitted to the Department. This Design...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: The Department engaged the services of the Communications Clinic to provide communications services to the Department from September 24 2020 to October 3 2020 to support the Calculated Grades’ projects. The total amount paid was €19,481.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: In relation to the school to which the Deputy refers, the costs to date for the provision of interim accommodation at the location referred to is €2.12m (€0.36m rental of land and prefabs and €1.76m capital costs). The acquisition of a permanent site to accommodate the school is included in the Departments capital budget. A number of potential permanent site options have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 to 366, inclusive, together. On Wednesday 17 February I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 written examinations will proceed in accordance with the normal timetable, subject to public health advice, and that oral and practical examinations and coursework would run as close to normal as possible. I also announced that students will also have the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: Responsibility for dealing with bullying in schools is the responsibility of each individual school. School authorities and school personnel are required to adhere to the Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools in dealing with allegations and incidents of bullying. The procedures require all schools to formally adopt and implement an anti-bullying policy that fully...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Inspections (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: All Whole-School Evaluation – Management, Leadership and Learning (WSE-MLL) evaluations, which were completed prior to the closure of schools in March 2020, have been published on the Department’s website.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Holidays (17 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: School Transport (17 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (17 Feb 2021)

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to providing permanent accommodation to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. In this regard, officials in my Department are in active engagement with officials from Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to further appraise two potential site options in terms of technical suitability. Once the final preferred site option has been identified,...