Results 18,981-19,000 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. A student may be assessed as an independent student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (23 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic a system of Calculated Grades was put in place by my predecessor due to the inability to run the Leaving Certificate examinations as normal this year. 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 Transport (23 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. In the 2019/2020 year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Under the National Development Plan 2018 to 2027, €8.4 billion is due to be invested in primary and post primary school buildings. The Department has a large pipeline of projects for delivery under the School Building Programme. The main elements of this pipeline currently involve circa 360 large scale projects and circa 800 projects for delivery under the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Sale (23 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The property referred to by the Deputy is not in my ownership. In common with other buildings of its kind, there may be a charging lease in place to protect the State's investment in the property. In circumstances where a property has ceased to be used as a school, and a request is received from the property owner to release the State's interest secured under a charging lease, such requests...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools. In Budget 2020 the number of secretaries and caretakers in certain schools was increased, allowing schools with enrolments of 500-625 to fill secretary vacancies provided they have fewer than 1.5 secretaries; schools with enrolments of 626-699 to fill vacancies provided they...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers to was approved funding under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018 to enable it to build three classrooms, one resource room, two standard WC and one WC for assisted users. A Stage 1 submission was received in the Department which indicated there were site restrictions applicable to the project which in turn will lead to increased costs for its...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included on the Department's Capital Programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). My Department is currently finalising the accommodation brief for the building project and was in contact with the school authority recently relating to the progression of the project to the next...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that a licence arrangement has been agreed between my Department and the landowner of the new temporary accommodation for the school in question. My Department is in the final stages of signing the contract with the preferred contractor to undertake refurbishment works in this accommodation. It is intended that the contractor will commence on site in the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Research and Training (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Clinical training placements for medical students are a matter for the Health Service Executive and the relevant Higher Education Institution medical schools. I have no function in relation to this matter.However, in order to assist the Deputy, Department officials have been in contact with the Higher Education Authority and the Authority is currently following up with the medical schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: It is the clear goal of the Government, in collaboration with all education stakeholders to support the education system so that we can welcome our pupils and staff across our school communities back into a safe environment at the start of the new school year. Planning for this has been underway for a number of months in collaboration with stakeholders. Intense engagement with these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. In the 2019/2020 year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is working with representatives from the higher education sector to address the challenges faced by students in this difficult time. Students who were residing in university-owned accommodation will receive pro-rata refunds if they vacated their accommodation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While I would wish to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers was established in 2018 and is currently in interim accommodation on the Firhouse Education Campus. Due to additional accommodation requirements in the Gaelscoil in which they are currently located my Department has been informed that it is not possible for the secondary school to continue to operate in that building. My Department has informed the...

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

Norma Foley: As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic a system of Calculated Grades was put in place by my predecessor due to the inability to run the normal Leaving Certificate examinations this year. 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 Certificate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (22 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Voluntary contributions by parents of pupils enrolled in recognised schools are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition. The manner in which such voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management, however their...

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

Norma Foley: I am very conscious of the impact arising from the issue of the 2020 Leaving Certificate results on 7th September on all students, in particular for those students who chose to pursue their undergraduate studies in other EU Member States, including the Netherlands. In that regard, and further to previous correspondence from my predecessor on this matter, I have written to Minster Van...