Results 19,261-19,280 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (9 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I appreciate the Deputy's response. I think there is a clear acknowledgment in the reply I gave that the Department is committed to providing the facilities that the Deputy has mentioned. I will ensure that my Department officials meet with representatives of the school.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. Before I address the specific issue raised, I would like to provide to the Members an outline of the extent of the school transport service. School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. In the 2019-20 school year, more than 120,000 children, including more than 14,200 children with special...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I appreciate that the Deputy has acknowledged the importance of what the summer scheme means. There was considerable difficulty in getting it on stream given that the announcement was made on 12 June. Schools were notified on 15 June and it began operation on 29 June. From that point of view, there was a difficulty in putting transport in place. I accept that the Deputy said that in her...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (9 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Scoil Chrónáin is an existing all-Irish co-educational primary school, under the patronage of the Archbishop of Dublin and centrally located in the village of Rathcoole. A building project to provide a new 16-classroom school plus a two-classroom special educational needs unit for the school is included in my Department's school...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I appreciate that the Deputy acknowledges the existence of the grant option and indeed the merits of this programme of which I am very supportive. I am not aware of the specifics of the three cases the Deputy mentioned. Perhaps he might make them available to my Department and my officials will take a look.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I have listened to the Deputies and heard what they have said. I appreciate there is unanimity among the Deputies from the area on this issue. The Deputies have raised points from the perspectives of parents and children and I have heard what they have said. All I can say at this point is that my officials in the Department will continue to have ongoing communication with the patron bodies...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Before I address the specific issue, I would like to provide the Members of the House with an outline on the extent of the school transport service. School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2019-2020 school year, more than 120,000 children, including 14,200 children with...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter and acknowledge the unity they have presented here. Firhouse Educate Together secondary school opened in September 2018 in vacant classrooms in the permanent school building of Firhouse Educate Together primary school on an education campus shared with the permanent 16-classroom school for Gaelscoil na Giúise. In September 2019, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: English Language Training Organisations (7 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: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 364 and 475 together. Covid-19 has presented an unprecedented global challenge for all of society, including our children. Learning has been challenging for many students since school buildings closed. In response my Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education including a programme for children with complex...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (7 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 project brief with the aim of progressing the project into the architectural planning process shortly. In that regard, my Department will also be in direct...

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

Norma Foley: I would like to inform the Deputy that an application for funding for roof works under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme has been approved for the school in question. As this is a devolved project it is a matter for the school authority to progress the works.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received the proposals to which he refers. However, I also wish to inform him that my Department does not provide funding for athletics facilities. I would advise him to refer the matter to the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht in that context.

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

Norma Foley: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding was approved under the Additional Accommodation Scheme to enable the school in question to build a two classroom SEN base. Following receipt of the final drawdown paperwork it was noted that the school submitted additional costings which were not approved by the Department. The Department has since liaised with the school and agreed to pay...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I am very conscious of the staffing schedule and the need to prioritise teacher allocations in primary schools given their vital role in communities around the country. I am looking at how best to make further progress in reducing the primary teacher ratio in the context of the Programme for Government implementation. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and other Provisions) Act 2012 provides for the issuing of annual benefit statements to members. My officials have been liaising with their counterparts in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to clarify various pension issues peculiar to the work patterns in the education sector which impact on the provision of annual benefit...

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

Norma Foley: The major building project the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design which includes the application for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. A revised Stage 2(b) submission has been received in the...

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

Norma Foley: The Deputy will be aware that the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the school authority under my Department's Summer Works Scheme. As such, it is a matter for the school authority to progress the project. I can inform the Deputy that we are aware from our engagement with the school with respect to this project that it will not be completed in time for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: Under the Teaching Council Acts the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. I am informed the Teaching Council advise that, for teachers qualified outside of Ireland, the assessment and registration process may typically take up to 12 weeks...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 399 together. 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...