Results 17,961-17,980 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (6 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The information sought by the Deputy is set out below in tabular form. I advise him that the enrolment numbers include both 5th and 6th year students in the 2019/20 school year: Leaving Certificate Established and Vocational Programme Subject Enrolments 5th and 6th year Construction Studies 20,562 Design & Communication...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (6 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. My Department contracted a Canadian company, Polymetrika...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (6 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. As part of initial contingency planning for the Leaving Certificate 2020, the State Examinations Commission procured international expertise through Polymetrika. Polymetrika was contracted to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (6 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The Department has not engaged a third party to conduct online or social media monitoring.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (6 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy is provided below. The regulations governing sick leave in the Public Service are SI 124 of 2014. Limits for sick leave are 92 days full pay in a rolling one year period followed by 91 days on half pay subject to a maximum of 183 days in a rolling four year period. The figures provide below are in relation to this Department and the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: 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’. This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The Calculated Grades Student Portal reopened on 14 September to enable students to view their estimated percentage marks and calculated marks and allow them 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 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. I, and/or my Department, have been named on a total of six judicial reviews. Of these, two have had their judgement delivered but are under appeal. One further judicial review was withdrawn by the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The annual staffing schedule determines the allocation of teachers to primary schools.  For the current school year, it operates on a general average of 26 pupils to every 1 teacher (26:1) which is historically the lowest ever allocation ratio at primary level.  Each one point adjustment to the primary staffing schedule would cost approximately €14.5m annually.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I am keenly aware of vital role 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.   In recognition of this, I have put special arrangements in place for the coming school year whereby schools will be funded to employ a replacement secretary or caretaker in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The tender process for the school building project referred to by the Deputy is running as part of a wider process involving the tender of 8 major building projects. The first phase of the tender process to create a shortlist of contractors is complete.  The second phase of the tender process is ongoing and is expected to be completed in the coming months, with a construction...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested.  However, the information is being collated by officials in my Department and will be made available to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 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. The design of the Calculated Grades model was informed by advice from a Technical Working Group comprising experts drawn from the State Examinations Commission, the Inspectorate of the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has published guidance to support schools in making adapted education provision for pupils/students with an underlying medical condition who cannot return to school because they are medically certified as being at very high risk to COVID-19. The guidance for primary schools on supporting such pupils is available via the following link: The guidance for post-primary schools on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 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 Equipment (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that the mechanism for applying for playground equipment is my Department's Summer Works Scheme. The school should apply for this when the scheme next opens for applications. In the meantime, I can advise the Deputy that the Minor Works Grant can be used to provide the equipment in question. In regards to the CLÁR Programme, I can...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Tests (1 Oct 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 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’: This guidance provides that the HSE Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 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: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 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 Transport (1 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...