Results 17,881-17,900 of 19,660 for speaker:Norma Foley

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Disputes (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I am keenly aware of the vital role contributed by school secretaries in our school communities. I absolutely recognise the very important work carried out by these staff and other support staff in the running of our schools. I have met Fórsa, which represents many of the secretaries working in our schools. In recognition of their valuable role in our schools I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is in the process of finalising the project brief for the school referred to by the Deputy and expects to be in a position to make further contact with the Patron in this regard shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (7 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: Covid-19 Pandemic (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has agreed a Memo of Understanding with the Health and Safety Authority that reflects our shared objective of ensuring that the Return to Work Safety Protocol for addressing COVID-19 in the workplace is being implemented. In relation to school inspections, my Department’s Inspectorate will lead on visits to schools for the purposes of working with and advising schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Gender Balance (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: `The information available from my Departments' database indicates that there were 231 female principals employed in voluntary secondary and Community/ Comprehensive schools in the 2018/19 school year. There were 2,165 female principals employed in primary schools. The information in relation to the number of female principal teachers employed in ETBs would have to be obtained from each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 112 together. 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. The design of the Calculated Grades model was informed by advice from a Technical Working Group comprising experts drawn from the State Examinations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 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. On 30 September, I made a statement that advising that two...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The Calculated Grades Student Portal reopened on 14 September to allow students to view their estimated percentage marks and calculated marks to allow students to consider this data if they were considering an appeal of their Calculated Grade. The appeals process is a process review focussed on looking for errors in the transmission and processing of student data through the process. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 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. On 30 September, I made a statement advising that two errors...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together. 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. As part of initial contingency planning for the Leaving Certificate 2020, the State Examinations Commission procured international expertise through...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The deadline for registration for the postponed Leaving Certificate 2020 examinations is 5.00pm on Wednesday 07 October. The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate 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: State Examinations (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 145 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. On 30...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ombudsman for Children (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has had previous communication with the office of the Children’s Ombudsman in respect of concerns in relation to opting out of religious instruction in schools. My Department confirmed to the Ombudsman, that under Article 44 of the Constitution and Section 30 of the Education Act, 1998, parents have a right to have their children opt out of religious instruction or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ombudsman for Children (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019 reflects the commitment contained in the Programme for a Partnership Government to introduce a stronger complaints procedures and charter for parents. It is important to note that the overall approach in the Bill is to shift away from reacting to problems in schools after they arise, to an approach which aims to improve the day-to-day...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: European Court of Justice Rulings (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 124, 125 and 126 together. The review of the ex-gratia scheme is ongoing. My Department is committed to reviewing the ex gratia scheme, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General. The issues involved are highly sensitive and complex and require very careful deliberation before proposals can be finalised and brought to Government. It is important...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 128 together. 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. The design of the Calculated Grades model was informed by advice from a Technical Working Group comprising experts drawn from the State Examinations...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 Oct 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. On 30 September, I announced that two errors had been found in the Leaving Certificate 2020 Calculated Grades process. These errors related to the way in which the coding for the process utilised Junior...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 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. On 30 September, I made a statement advising that two errors...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (7 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question was refused emergency works funding for a full roof replacement as this does not fall under the scope of the scheme. However, it is open to the school to reapply for emergency works funding for the minimum works necessary, for example repair works to the roof, to resolve the issue. Alternatively the school authority may apply...