Results 19,181-19,200 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Equity of access to higher education is a national priority for the Department and indeed, the Government. The third National Access Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education (2015-2021) (NAP) sets out the Departments current strategy to address underrepresentation in higher education by groups identified in the plan.  The NAP identifies Irish Travellers as one of the target groups...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: On Wednesday 1 July 2020, I welcomed the publication of interim public health advice for the safe re-opening of schools in late August/ September. This interim health advice sets out the key public health requirements that will be required for a safe full reopening of schools and the measures that will be required to achieve this.   Receipt of public health advice will underpin...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is committed to providing a permanent accomodation solution for the school referred to. In this regard, a suitable site has been identified to accommodate a permanent school building for the school. My Department continues to work closely with officials from Monaghan County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy, with respect to the project at the school to which he refers, that approval was given to the school authority last week to appoint a contractor to carry out these works. As this is a devolved project it is a matter for the school authority to progress them.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the statutory body with responsibility for developing, promoting and maintaining the Irish National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). In line with the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) currently recognises the qualifications of Irish awarding bodies including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Residential Institutions (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Ireland submits bi-annual Action Plans to the relevant Committee of Ministers which is responsible for supervising the implementation of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights. To date 11 Action Plans have submitted and a further one will be submitted later this year. As you are aware, the ex gratia scheme was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from and in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that officials from the Pension Unit of my Department have contacted the person to whom he refers.  In the absence of verification of service from this person’s employer, the management authority of the school, his request cannot be considered by the Department.   In order for the Department of Education and Skills to determine if the period...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Child Abuse (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Ex Gratia Scheme established in the wake of the ECtHR was set up to deal with a specific cohort – people who had discontinued proceedings in the domestic courts in the wake of a number of High Court judgments and the Supreme Court judgment in the LOK case. The review is ongoing. The Department of Education is committed to reviewing the ex gratia scheme, in conjunction with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding was approved under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019 to enable the school in question to build one mainstream classroom, one WC for assisted users, five SET rooms and one Principal's office. I can confirm that the project has been devolved for delivery to the School Authority and is currently at design...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Teaching Council is responsible for setting the standards for Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes through the review and accreditation of all ITE programmes. The Gaeltacht placement is a mandatory component of primary initial teacher education programmes, in accordance with the Teaching Council’s Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers of Initial Teacher Education....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Budget 2020 has provided for a budget of more than €11 billion for the Department of Education and Skills in 2020. This is the highest ever allocation to the sector and an increase of nearly €2 billion since 2016.  Teacher numbers at primary level have increased by almost 3,500 when comparing the 2015/16 school year with the current school year and this has led to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The provision of permanent accommodation for the new post primary school to serve Greystones and Kilcoole requires the acquisition of a site by my Department.  I can confirm a potential site option has been identified and discussions are ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site. It is difficult to indicate a timeframe for any site acquisition as each...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Ensuring that every child has a suitable school placement is a key objective of my Department.  Significant resources are allocated each year to ensure that appropriate supports are available for children with special educational needs. Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased almost threefold, from 548 to 1,618 for the 2019/2020 school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I am aware of the challenges that are being encountered in the English language education sector and the substantial impact that the Covid-19 outbreak has had on its students, teachers and providers. As part of the response to the pandemic, my Department established a specific Working Group for this sector. This group is comprised of representatives of relevant Government Departments and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Jul 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: Protected Disclosures (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department has received 6 protected disclosures in relation to institutes of technology.  The details requested by the Deputy are contained in the following table.  Year Institute of Technology Outcome 2016 Waterford IoT Ongoing   2017 Dundalk IoT (anonymous) Concluded ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Jul 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 Admissions (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I wish to advise the Deputy that in relation to schools admission, parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available, the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: COVID 19 has presented challenges to all sectors of education, including PLC colleges, and the facilitating of practical examinations has been a particular challenge. The needs of learners are central to further education and training provision and Education and Training Boards (ETBs) provided alternative assessments across a wide range of courses. Where alternative assessment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: On Wednesday 1 July 2020, I welcomed the publication of interim public health advice for the safe re-opening of schools in late August/September. This interim health advice sets out the key public health requirements that will be required for a safe full reopening of schools and the measures that will be required to achieve this. Receipt of the public health advice will underpin ongoing...