Results 16,961-16,980 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: In the case of all new schools, it is general practice to include a Special Education Needs Base (SEN Base) in the accommodation brief for new school buildings, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required. Typically, a two classroom SEN Base is provided in new primary schools and a two or four classroom SEN Base is provided in new post primary schools. The National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has an enhanced Occupational Health Service (OHS) in place to provide employers with occupational health advice in relation to employees’ fitness for work. Medmark, the current OHS provider has a process in place for school staff with health concerns about their risk of serious illness from contracting COVID-19, through workplace attendance. A detailed on-line...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The school to which Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process and a preferred bidder has been identified. Subject to no issues arising during the balance of the tender process, it is anticipated that work will commence on site in Quarter 1 of 2021, with a construction period of approximately 6 months.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Water Services (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware the provision of water does not lie within the remit of my Department; however, the Emergency Works Team is prepared to consider any reasonable alternative to a water tank that the school in question may suggest.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has approved the opening of a special class, in St. Kevin's National School, for September 2021. Officials from my Department are in contact with the school authorities in relation to the necessary steps, should additional accommodation be required for this class. To date no applications have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. The Teaching Council inform me that the person referred to by the Deputy is registered with effect from the 06thof November 2020. Should the individual have any...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Thank you for your recent correspondence in relation to the additional allocation in Budget 2021 to support children experiencing educational disadvantage. DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level. In the 2020/21 school year there are 887 schools in the DEIS Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The project is currently at Stage 1 of Architectural Planning which includes site surveys and reports, and producing initial sketch scheme options to be submitted to my Department for consideration. Upon...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The option of receiving online payslips for serving and retired staff paid on payrolls operated by my Department is not currently available. An interim upgrade of the payroll system is currently underway and is due to be completed in the latter part of 2021. The primary purpose of this upgrade is to receive continued support from the Department’s vendor. On completion of this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I recognise the important role that cleaners play in the successful operation of our schools. Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice. Cleaning is an important aspect of infection prevention control measures in schools to minimise the risk of transmission of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 to 281, inclusive, together. 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 (GIS). The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and HSE has published guidance in relation to the return to school for at risk groups. The advice confirms that for the vast majority of children, including those who are high risk, can return to school and it is important for the overall health and wellbeing for children to attend school. This is consistent with public health advice internationally....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing enrolments in Bandon and has planned capital projects to provide the required accommodation. It is intended that demand in Bandon will be addressed by increasing capacity at St Brogans College to a Long Term Projected Enrolment of 1,000 pupils. In this regard, capital funding has been approved and the project has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: It is the responsibility of my Department to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. Parents/guardians can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to draft, publish and implement a school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (26 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has been in contact with the club to which the Deputy refers with regard to extending the current lease arrangements. My Department will keep the school authorities and it's patron body informed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Programme (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, the main purpose of the Retention of Records Bill 2019 was to ensure the preservation of the records gathered by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA) and the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB), which would, otherwise, in accordance with the relevant legislation, be required to be destroyed upon the winding up of those bodies. While the Bill...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including applications for assistive technology. SENOs then make recommendations to my Department. Therefore, I have referred the query in relation to this application to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Electric Vehicles (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: It is proposed to include for the new Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) guidance in the 2nd Edition TGD 033 School Building Projects and Compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations 2017. The TGD will include a section for school Boards of Management on what is involved in managing electric charging points and cost recovery, etc. The system provision will be based on EVC for school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Policy (25 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 and 100 together. While the provision of child and adolescent mental health services lies within the remit of the Department of Health, and the HSE specifically, my Department has an important role to play in supporting the wellbeing and mental health of our young people. My Department’s Wellbeing Policy and Framework for practice has given...