Results 19,301-19,320 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

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

Norma Foley: My Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education including a programme for children with complex special educational needs. The programme is a significant expansion on the July Provision programme of previous years with the eligibility criteria widened to include approximately 9,000 additional primary aged children with complex needs. All special...

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

Norma Foley: My Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education including a programme for children with complex special educational needs. The programme is a significant expansion on the July Provision programme of previous years with the eligibility criteria widened to include approximately 9,000 additional primary aged children with complex needs. The...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 397 and 428 together. A system of Calculated Grades was put in place by my predecessor and 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 students. For the calculated grades system to be...

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

Norma Foley: Under the statutory framework provided in the Technological Universities Act 2018, two or more Institutes of Technology (IoTs) may jointly seek TU designation through a prescribed legislative process. Section 29 of the 2018 Act provides for the application jointly by two or more applicant institutes to the Minister of Education and Skills for an order seeking designation as a TU subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (7 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 kilometres at a cost of over...

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 criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published...

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 criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published...

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 criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published...

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

Norma Foley: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the Gaeltacht Learning Period which must be fulfilled by students who are currently in the second year of the primary Professional Master of Education and due to graduate in 2021. Completion of the Gaeltacht placement is an important element of programmes of initial teacher education for primary teachers and therefore a requirement for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Services Staff (7 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: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: I am conscious of the difficulties being experienced by students and their families as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and of the importance of the Student Grant Scheme and related supports, such as the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. These supports have a fundamental role in assisting families who are putting their children through further and higher...

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

Norma Foley: I can confirm that agreement in principle has been reached with a landowner for the acquisition of a site at Donaghcumper, Celbridge. This site is presently proposed to facilitate the permanent accommodation needs of St. Patrick's National School, Celbridge Community School and St. Raphael's Special School on a campus type arrangement.Work is progressing and is ongoing in respect of technical...

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

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 408, 412, 413 and 442 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...

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

Norma Foley: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning – Stage 2b (Detailed Design) which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. The Stage 2(b) report has been submitted to my Department for review by Dublin Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, who is the...

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: School Staff (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government agreed in June 2020 includes a number of commitments that are relevant to my Department. In the months ahead, I will be developing proposals to give effect to these commitments and such proposals will be costed in the normal manner with due regard to budgetary considerations. The briefing materials provided by Government Departments (including the Department of...

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

Norma Foley: My Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Education including a programme for children with complex special educational needs. The programme is a significant expansion on the July Provision programme of previous years with the eligibility criteria widened to include approximately 9,000 additional primary aged children with complex needs. The...

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

Norma Foley: To advance our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) programme my Department has been involved in a wide range of activities as well as organising a series of online Lunch and Learn events for staff to promote the EDI conversation in the Department. My Department have not engaged the services of any external consultancy organisation or provider in respect of EDI programmes. All...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Costs (7 Jul 2020)

Norma Foley: The expenditure incurred by my Department in respect of external legal fees during the years in question is as follows: Year Expenditure on external legal fees 2016 €92,715.50 2017 €46,790.62 2018 €106,312.43 2019 €50,336.66 2020 ...