Results 1,701-1,720 of 19,925 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the department. Since 2020, my department has invested over €5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 950...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: Since 2020, my department has invested over €5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 950 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 350 other projects, which includes 37 new school buildings. These 350 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.5bn. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023/24 school year over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is not in receipt of an application from the school in question for capital funding under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: Work is ongoing on the preparation of the response by my officials to the Request for Further Information (RFI) received from the local authority for the school project referred to by the Deputy. The original date for submission to the local authority for the RFI was the 15th October 2024, however more information was required by Meath County Council. To allow for the gathering and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: Section 22 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 provides for the making of appeals against decisions of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, also known as Caranua. It is provided that such appeals would be hard by an independent Appeals Officer and should be made within 30 days of the decision being appealed. I understand that in the case referred to by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023/24 school year over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for roof works. With regards to the application in question, as the roof works were completed in 2016 it was recommended that the school's Board of Management revert back to the original design team (consultant and roofing contractor) seeking an explanation of why the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that provisional approval has been given under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme for 8 modular mainstream classrooms and 1 modular special education classroom. This project has been assigned to the Project Management Framework for delivery and is currently in the final stages of the process. My officials will be in contact with the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the state 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: Departmental Projects (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The National Development Plan 2021-30 (NDP) sets out the investment priorities that will underpin the successful implementation of the National Planning Framework (NPF) and wider Government policies. Following a review earlier this year, NDP allocations were confirmed for all Departments for the period 2025 and 2026. The NDP allocation for the Department of Education was confirmed at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the department. At a national level, Ireland has been experiencing growth in overall post primary enrolments and this is projected to continue in many...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023/24 school year over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Inquiries (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders was published on September 3rd 2024. I sought agreement from Government for the publication of the Report and for the establishment of a Commission of Investigation, which is the principal recommendation of the Report. The Government has approved the establishment of a Commission...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (22 Oct 2024)

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 arrangements include a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts. Such applications from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the state 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: Departmental Policies (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The patron of the school determines the ethos and characteristic spirit of the school. The patron also appoints the Board of Management to manage the operation of the school. The development and implementation of the curriculum in religious instruction in both primary and post-primary schools is the responsibility of the patron. The Education Act recognises the rights of the different patrons...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department is providing a payroll service for school secretaries which are covered under the terms of Circular 36/2022. The provision of a payroll service is part of a package agreed with Fórsa, the trade union representing school secretaries, following a series of engagements at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). While this agreement includes revised terms and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school authority in question. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (22 Oct 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for Universal Access works in September 2024. The application in question is currently being reviewed by a member of the technical team within the EWS and once the technical recommendation has been received, the EWS team will engage further with the school as appropriate. The...