Results 1,921-1,940 of 19,412 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Since 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 900 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The school campus building project for the schools referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme and will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including 6 classrooms, for children with special educational needs and a new 8 classroom primary school and accommodation, including 2 classrooms, for children with special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 614, 615, 616 and 617 together. The numbers employed in our schools will reach the highest ever level in the current school year. Currently there are over 42,900 teaching posts allocated across the primary school system. This represents an increase of just over 5,000 teachers when compared with the 2019/20 year when I took up office. In three of the recent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department recognises that school leaders play a key role in improving student learning outcomes by creating a positive school climate and environment as well as motivating and empowering educators and learners within their school community. It is generally accepted that the quality of school leadership is second only to effective classroom teaching, in having a crucial impact on student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: 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 similar types of schools equally. The staffing arrangements include a provision whereby schools experiencing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Citizens' Assembly (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The Programme for Government commits to establishing a Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Education ensuring that the voices of young people and those being educated are central. The establishment of the Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Education and its Terms of Reference will be the subject of a Government decision and resolutions of the Dáil and Seanad at the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved for delivery to Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB). The project is at Stage 2b of the architectural planning process. The Stage 2b report has been received and reviewed in my Department. My Department has now issued some comments to the design team which must be addressed before this stage can be finalised. Following a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Since 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 900 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 624 and 626 together. The Department of Education publishes details of the total number of teachers appointed to primary schools, and to Voluntary Secondary and Community and Comprehensive post primary Schools each year, and this information is available at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c97fbd-teacher-statistics/ My Department does not currently collate, or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 625 and 627 together. The requested data is set out at the link. We expect preliminary data for academic year 2024/25 to be published in December 2024. Please note enrolment data is taken from the POD and PPOD databases. All enrolments are as per the census date, 30 September, for each year.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The Digital Strategy for Schools 2027, which builds on the progress made under the previous Digital Strategy (2015-2020), is underpinned by an investment of some €200 million included in the National Development Plan 2021-2030 providing continuity of funding following the €210 million that issued to schools to support the previous strategy. To date, €100 million of that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: As requested by the Deputy, please see the following link showing projects for schools in Limerick which received initial approval in 2024. Please note that there are other school building projects in Co Limerick at various stages of progress. The Department's website provides a list, by county, of all projects being progressed under the large scale and additional accommodation scheme. This...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Cases (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department, or bodies under the aegis of my Department, have taken only one legal case against another Department, Government agency or State body in the past five years. I can inform the Deputy that this case was an appeal to the High Court of decision of the Information Commissioner in 2019 regarding documents the Department considers to be subject to legal privilege. The case was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my Department. TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 161,600 children are being transported on a daily basis to schools throughout the country. This figure comprises over 135,000 pupils travelling on mainstream services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: This school campus building project provided a new 16 classroom primary school for the school referred to by the Deputy and a new 16 classroom primary school for another primary school. The project was delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme under a single contract. The combined total spend for both schools under this contract amounted to some €12 million...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB). This project will deliver 5 classrooms, a GP room, a library/resource area, a special education tuition room. a multi purpose room, other ancillary accommodation along with a 2 Class SEN Base. I am pleased to advise that the project is currently onsite and is expected...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (23 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The first phase of the Schools PV Programme was launched on 23 November 2023. It provides eligible schools with up to 6 kilowatts peak of roof-mounted solar PV, which equates to approximately 16 solar panels and offers an opportunity for schools to reduce their carbon emissions and their energy costs. Each school which has been approved for funding under the programme is required to inform...