Results 18,421-18,440 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The Notional Service Scheme is a scheme that allows serving Special Needs Assistants who are members of the Superannuation (Education) Scheme, and who will have less than 40 years pensionable service at age 60 or 65, to purchase additional pensionable service.   Special Needs Assistants who are "new entrants" as defined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Emergency Works Scheme (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to confirm to the Deputy that the matter to which he refers is currently under consideration by the relevant official in my Department. A decision in that respect will be made as quickly as possible and notified to the school directly.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department is acutely aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and which led the decision not to run the state examinations this summer. In the context of the return to schools of students for the 2020/21 academic year my Department published a range of documentation and support material as part of the Roadmap for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) conducted a thorough and transparent review, and published its report, “Report...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that new building projects for the schools to which she refers have been devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB) It is expected that the Naas Community College building will be completed in August 2021 at a total cost of approximately €25 million including the provision of temporary accommodation. I am pleased...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The post-primary school to which the Deputy refers opened in September 2020 in interim accommodation in the Greystones Tennis Club. Senior Department officials met with Kildare Wicklow ETB (KWETB) and Greystones Community College on Wednesday, 23rd September to discuss the schools current arrangements and the immediate and future accommodation requirements for the school.  My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (29 Sep 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 Staff (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses the Language Support (EAL) allocation that schools were allocated in previous years.   Further temporary Language Support is also provided, as necessary,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (29 Sep 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 purpose of this process is to allow as many students as possible to progress to employment, further education and training, or higher education in a way that is fair and equitable to all Leaving...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The major project for the construction of the new school building for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of the tender process. My Department is currently awaiting a Tender Report from the school and its Design Team, which is due to be submitted before the end of this month. Subject to no issues arising, it is envisaged that construction should...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: As the Deputy will be aware, the decision making authority for any amalgamation belongs to the Patron/Trustees of the school and this is subject to my Department's approval. My Department understands that matters associated with the amalgamation in question are being addressed by the Patron. I wish to advise the Deputy that the major building project for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (29 Sep 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: Ministerial Advisers (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The following tabular statement gives details of the Special Advisers I have appointed to assist me in carrying out my ministerial duties. In accordance with the Guidelines for Ministerial Appointments as published by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform they are on the Standard Principal Officer payscale. Both provide assistance and advice on educational policy and related...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department approved significant funding in 2017, under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA), to the school in question. This funding was to provide an extension comprising of a two classroom ASD Unit. My Department considers that there is sufficient accommodation already available to meet the school's long-term projected enrolments. The Per...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 489 together. From 1 October 2020, pre-2011 entrant teachers will be paid on a scale ranging from €35,790 to €65,588 per annum (plus qualification allowances where applicable). Post-2011 entrant teachers will be paid on a scale ranging from €37,692 to €70,795 per annum. This salary accounts for both teaching and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that the school in question submitted an application for capital funding under my Department's multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2020 onwards for Windows (Category 7). In late 2019, I announced details of the schools that will receive funding in Summer 2020 in respect of applications submitted for "Life Safety Systems projects" (Category 1). Commensurate with the level of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. On completion of the assessment process, the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: The school in question has requested a review of the refusal of emergency works funding for roof repairs. This review resulted in approval in principle being granted subject to certain conditions. A final approval letter will issue to the school once these conditions have been met.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. On completion of the assessment process, the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Summer Works Scheme (29 Sep 2020)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that my Department received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. On completion of the assessment process, the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.