Results 17,621-17,640 of 19,660 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (20 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Management bodies and schools have, in recent years, reported difficulties in recruiting teachers. At primary level this relates mainly to the recruitment of substitute teachers and at post-primary level to the recruitment of teachers of particular subjects (STEM, modern foreign languages, Irish and Home Economics, in particular) as well as substitutes. The Steering Group on Teacher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 Oct 2020)

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 30th September. The staffing arrangements also include a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (20 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The provision of facilities in the workplace to facilitate breastfeeding is a matter for the employer. Under Section 9 of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Act 2004, an employer shall not be required to provide facilities in the workplace if the provision of such facilities would give rise to a cost, other than a nominal cost, to the employer. In relation to school employees, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: While the report was launched last Friday the 9th October, my Department is very conscious that survivors will continue to need support into the future. In July 2019, two facilitators employed by the Department published a report on the outcomes of their initial consultations with survivors. It was intended that the consultation would set out the themes and issues to be addressed by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not publish or collate data for specific geographic areas. My Department publishes comprehensive enrolment data on the Department's website, www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Data-on-Individu al-Schools/ with 2019-20 being the most recent year for which data is available. This data can be filtered by school roll number and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently under construction. Construction ceased during the National lockdown and recommenced on site recently. It is anticipated that the project will be complete in Quarter 1 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question has been granted funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme to carry out roof works. As this is a devolved scheme, it is the responsibility of the school authority to progress the works.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (15 Oct 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. This project is currently at Stage 2(a) of Architectural planning, Developed Design (design development to a stage where the project is fully cost planned and can be prepared to lodge for statutory approvals....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (15 Oct 2020)

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 30th September. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. This school referred to by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2019/2020 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 over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together. 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. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The Leaving Certificate system has a well-established practice of not reducing the marks or grades of students who have not appealed their results, but who through an appeal by another student or other systemic check are identified as somebody who received higher marks or grades than were merited. In keeping with that principle, and mindful of the fact that the mistake was not the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The Leaving Certificate system has a well-established practice of not reducing the marks or grades of students who have not appealed their results, but who through an appeal by another student or other systemic check are identified as somebody who received higher marks or grades than were merited. In keeping with that principle, and mindful of the fact that the mistake was not the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: On 03 October I announced that improved Calculated Grades would issue that day to students who received lower Calculated Grades than they should have, as a result of errors that were found in the Calculated Grades process. As a result of rectification of these errors, a total of 6,100 students received higher calculated grades. This breaks down as follows: - 5,408 students received a higher...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: On 1 September, I announced details in relation to the Calculated Grades model following approval of proposals made to Government. The change proposed removed the use of school-by-school historical data in the standardisation model. The use which has been made of Junior Cycle data in the model is set out in detail in the Report of the National Standardisation Group. Individual Junior...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (15 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Remedial teachers are included in the overall teacher numbers when calculating the pupil-teacher ratio. The most recently published Pupil-Teacher Ratio for Primary Schools is for 2019 when the ratio was 15.0. The most recently available figure, academic year 2019-20, for average Class Size is 24.1. Both figures and other relevant Education Indicators can be found on our most recent Key...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of the vital role contributed by school secretaries within school communities and I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools. I have met with Fórsa, who represent many of the secretaries working in schools. In recognition of their role, I have put special arrangements in place for this school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Broadband Programme (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: Through the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary and post primary schools, and some 98% of schools are included in this scheme. The Department's High Speed Broadband Programme, provides all recognised post-primary schools, high speed broadband with a minimum broadband speed of 100mbs. There are 58 special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (15 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy is aware, following an arbitration process a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 was awarded for staff and a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 was phased in over that period. This arrangement applied to all recognised Primary Schools and Post-Primary schools in the Free Education Scheme and was designed to be of greatest benefit to secretaries and...