Results 17,541-17,560 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (22 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.  The SEC is continuing with plans to hold the postponed 2020 Leaving Certificate examinations in November 2020. The examinations will be run by the SEC across the school network and will adhere to all public health requirements. No decision has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (22 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The building project for Gaelscoil an Chaisleain is included in my Department's capital programme. Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Cork City Council in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for the school. A potential site option has been identified and discussions are ongoing with the landowner with a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 106 together. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within schools. All schools were provided with the HSE document titled: “Schools Pathway for Covid-19, the Public Health approach”, setting...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Site Acquisitions (22 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, the building project for the school in question is included in my Department's capital programme. The acquisition of the permanent site for Malahide Portmarnock ETNS is at an advanced stage of conveyancing. Once all contractual matters have been finalised the site will be assessed for Architectural Planning. While a site acquisition process is underway, given the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (22 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together. Under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1. While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’ . It is important to note that the response to confirmed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (22 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The staffing schedule for primary schools for the 2020/21 school year is currently at its lowest ever level with 1 teacher to 26 pupils.  Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools.  I was delighted to announce a further 1 point reduction in Budget 2021.  The staffing schedule...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (22 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, on 27 July last the Government published the Roadmap for the Full Return to School, along with details of a significant financial package to support the implementation of the measures in the roadmap, following approval by the Government. The package of supports is expected to cost in excess of €375 million in the 2020/2021 school year. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 and 147 together. 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 types of schools equally irrespective of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1.  While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools catering for junior classes only and 24:1 for schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €16.9 million in 2019 to all of these schools.  It is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question was granted funding for External Works under my Department's multi-annual Summer Works Scheme in December 2019. The school has submitted a tender report and was approved funding for specified works; as this project is devolved to the school for delivery, it is the responsibility of the school to progress the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.    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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department published the report "Reopening Our Schools, The Roadmap for the Full Return to School" in late July along with details of a significant financial package to support the implementation of the measures in the roadmap, following approval by the Government. The package of supports is expected to cost in excess of €437 million in the 2020/2021 school year. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: It remains the Government’s and my Department’s key objective for schools to remain open and to continue to operate as normally as possible.  However, I recognise that despite the best efforts of all stakeholders, there will be situations where individual pupils or groups of pupils, teachers, or possibly entire school communities, are requested by Public Health HSE to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that a decision on the appeal against the refusal of emergency works funding has been made and forwarded to the management of the school in question.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Under Budget 2021 I have announced a general reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule to 25:1.  While there has been a reduction in mainstream class size in recent years, there has not been a corresponding reduction for those Urban Band 1 DEIS schools who are already allocated a preferential staffing schedule of 20:1 for schools catering for junior classes only and 24:1 for schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (21 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a result of COVID-19, which prevented the State from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations. The purpose of this process was to allow as many students as possible to progress to employment, further education and training, or higher education. Schools provided an estimated percentage mark and a rank...