Results 17,041-17,060 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Nov 2020)

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 (GIS). The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department's own school enrolment databases, to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 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: School Staff (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 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: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). I can confirm that a design team to deliver this project has been appointed by the ETB. KWETB has informed the Department that the design team is preparing the Stage 1 report (preliminary design) and it is nearing completion. While at this early stage it is not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that there is a tender process ongoing for the establishment of a new framework of contractors for delivery of a bundle of design and build projects which is expected to be completed in Quarter 1 of 2021. This school project will then be tendered to this new framework when established. Pending delivery of the permanent accommodation, my Department will continue...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the state from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations. In the absence of these examinations, every effort has been made to make the system as fair as possible for as many students as possible. The process of national standardisation, which forms a key...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The 2020 Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades appeals process has concluded and the appeal outcomes were made available to students at 12pm on Friday 16 October through the Calculated Grades Student Portal. In the processing of the appeals, a total of 33,301 individual subject records belonging to 12,216 students were reviewed. This number excludes students who initially entered for an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The terms and conditions of the Sick Leave Scheme for teachers is contained in my Department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019. In line with the Sick Leave Scheme, absences are recorded by the individual employer on my Department’s On Line Claims System (OLCS) which is part of the payroll system. The attached table details the total number of Sick Leave days currently recorded on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The current COVID-19 arrangements in place for teachers are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0049/2020. The Circular outlines that special leave with pay may be granted to a teacher who has been (a) diagnosed with COVID-19 or (b) has COVID-19 symptoms and has been advised by the HSE/GP to self-isolate whilst awaiting their test appointment and test results. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Data (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: In accordance with the requirements of the Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2019 - 2023 the school principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school and is accountable for that management to the school’s Board of Management. One of the important management functions of the principal is the maintenance of records in relation to pupil attendance in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is acutely aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and which led the decision not to run the state examinations this summer. In the context of the return to schools of students for the 2020/21 academic year my Department published a range of documentation and support material as part of the Roadmap for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (24 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 Enrolments (24 Nov 2020)

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, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. Major new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Nov 2020)

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. My Department's capital investment programme provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms for existing schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified. All school capital projects that have been approved, by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Nov 2020)

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, utilising data from a range of sources including information on planned and current residential development, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. Major new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Access to RSE is an important right for students. Schools have a responsibility to provide for this vital aspect of education to young people. Importantly, a school’s RSE programme should be planned in consultation with parents. The NCCA conducted a thorough and transparent review, and published its report, “Report on the Review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Maternity Leave (24 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 533 and 534 together. 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (19 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 213, 215 and 230 together. My Department made a decision in 2017, based on advice received from the Teaching Council, to set higher Minimum Entry Requirement Standards (MERS) to primary teaching for Leaving Certificate Mathematics, English and Irish  with effect from September 2019 as follows: Entry 2018 - Irish: H5, English: H7/O5, Maths: H7/O6 Entry...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (19 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...