Results 17,241-17,260 of 19,632 for speaker:Norma Foley

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. With regard to the provisions that have been made available to schools this year, we are talking of a package in excess of €437 million, which supports four to six hours of daily additional cleaning within the schools and the purchase of PPE and hand sanitisers. All of that is covered in the allocation and, indeed, there is a balance of €226 million which...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. In terms of the allocation for school transport, and acknowledging the capacity requirement that now exists, there was an agreement following a memo that was brought to Cabinet. I want to acknowledge the generosity in recognising the need to meet that public health demand and, all along the way, where there have been changes, we have been very flexible in a desire to...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I know school transport is a particularly significant issue in the Deputy's area and he has raised it on a number of occasions. I know that an additional €15 million is being provided just for the increasing number of children within the system anyway . As I said previously, almost €100 million has been made available in respect of the additional 50% capacity. The Deputy is...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: At every step of the way we were conscious of the measures that had to be put in place and, indeed, will continue to have to be put in place in respect of Covid-19. At no stage have we been reluctant when it comes to finances. Specifically on the issue the Deputy raised, I will ask for clarification on that and will ask the officials to directly reply to her on it.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: On the issue of pay equality, I want to reaffirm the Government's commitment to the body of work that needs to be done to address these outstanding matters. There is a commitment on that and it will be part of the next round of pay talks. On DEIS, this is an area of particular interest to the Deputy, which I acknowledge. As he has correctly acknowledged, there has been a reduction from...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: Absolutely. There is incontrovertible evidence that students have been disadvantaged, obviously from an academic point of view but even more so from a socialisation point of view. All of the Irish and international studies are telling us that students are best served within the education environment. I agree with the Deputy's remark. The Government has recognised this by putting financial...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: It should be noted that there has been a 2.5% increase in capitation. While not wanting to be repetitive, it must be acknowledged that substantial additional funding has gone into schools this year in terms of things that would normally gone on in schools such as cleaning and so forth but also additional items such as hand sanitiser and so on. Significant resources have been provided and a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The Indemnity Agreement of June 2002 involved 18 congregations, acting collectively, which agreed to provide a contribution of €128m towards the costs associated with redress for survivors of institutional abuse. Those 18 congregations are - Brothers of Charity - Christian Brothers - Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul - Daughters of the Heart of Mary - De La Salle Brothers -...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The general principles to apply to the management of COVID-19 includes the safety and welfare of employees and the minimisation of the impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning. The current COVID-19 arrangements in place for teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) are outlined in my Department’s Circular Letter 0049/2020. The Circular outlines that special leave with pay may be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that Level 5 restrictions do not apply to the Education sector and on this basis any prior commitment or agreement between a school authority and a third party should remain in place.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving a proposal from the school in question. However, the issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools on public roads, such as road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter, for the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The major building project to which the Deputy refers is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan. The project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. Following the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123 to 125, inclusive, together. A revised specification for Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science was introduced in September 2019. The revised specification was approved as a draft by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in September 2017 before being submitted to my Department for approval. The curriculum development process...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department undertakes demographic exercises to identify areas where pressures for school places are anticipated to arise and divides the country into 314 school planning areas for that purpose. The school to which she refers was established to meet emerging demand in the Pelletstown area, largely associated with new residential development and these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Court of Human Rights (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As you are aware, the ex gratia scheme was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from and in response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) relating to Louise O'Keeffe. The Department undertook a review of the scheme in response to a determination by the Independent Assessor, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill that one of the criteria for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable reopening of schools. Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice. This guidance is focused on the practical steps schools must take to minimise the risk of transmission of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: On 3 October I announced that I had asked that a comprehensive independent review of the design and implementation of the Calculated Grades process should take place when the process is complete. I want the independent comprehensive review to consider key aspects of the Calculated Grades process. This will include: the initial decision to adopt the calculated grades model; whether the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: As outlined in the previous response in relation to school enrolment, it is a matter for the parents to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupils should be admitted. It is the responsibility of the school authorities to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Acts, 1998 -2018. The measures provided for in the Act do make...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: The renting/leasing of Government offices is the responsibility of Property Management Services in the Office of Public Works, which acts as an agent for all Government Departments. The number, terms and cost of the leases is a matter for the OPW. The information requested by the Deputy concerning the cost of rental of office space from the company in question in regard to my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 Nov 2020)

Norma Foley: On the specific matters that have impacted the handover of the building, my Department is taking the appropriate steps to ensure it is completely satisfied that the building is fit for handover prior to accepting it. My Department is engaging with the contractor in this regard under the appropriate terms of the public works contract. Some communication was received from the contractor on 30...