Results 19,481-19,500 of 19,666 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 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 year;...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: I recognise that this is a particularly challenging time for all students, and parents across the education system. On 12 June, my Department published the report to Government “Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business” The report sets out the clear ambition to develop a sustainable plan to reopen schools at the start of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Educationincluding 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: Schools Building Projects (30 Jun 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.  A potential site option has been identified and negotiations are ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site. My Department is committed to delivering a site for the new post primary school for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.  For the 20/21 academic year student grant applications will be assessed based on gross income from all sources for the period 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019. However, if a student or party to their application...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: I can confirm that in relation to the school to which the Deputy refers, a contract is due to be awarded this week (commencing 29thJune, 2020) for the additional interim accommodation required for the school for the next academic year.  However, a decision in relation to planning permission for this additional accommodation is still awaited.  It should be noted that these...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: The new school building for the project to which the Deputies refer is over 95% complete. There continues to be a very close engagement between Westmeath County Council (to whom the project has been devolved for delivery) and its design team, the Department of Education and Skills and the contractor in relation to getting the remaining elements of work completed during the summer to enable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 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 current school year over 120,000 children, including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 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 additional primary aged children with complex needs. The programme aims to ensure, in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 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: Student Grant Scheme (30 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: On 12 June, my Department published the report to Government “Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business” www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Announcements/framework-f or-reopening-and-operating-schools.html.  The report sets out the clear ambition to develop a sustainable plan to fully reopen schools at the start of the next...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools.  I have spoken to a number of secretaries about their employment conditions and understand the issues they have raised.  In Budget 2020 I increased the number of secretaries and caretakers in certain schools, allowing schools with enrolments of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: The Boards of Management of schools are responsible for the employment of school secretaries and it is a matter for each school to determine the level of secretarial services required for the school.  Funding to cater for these services is made available from the Ancillary Services and Capitation Grants On Friday 12th June my Department published the report to Government...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: On 12 June, my Department published the report to Government “Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business” www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Announcements/framework-f or-reopening-and-operating-schools.html. The report sets out the clear ambition to develop a sustainable plan to fully reopen schools at the start of the next school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: My Department published details of Summer Provision 2020 – Reconnecting with Educationincluding 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. Approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: Following the school closure in March 2020, my Department published a range of guidance to assist schools and teachers in ensuring continuity of teaching and learning for students as well as supporting their wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.  This guidance aimed, inter alia, to ensure regular engagement of students in lessons, tasks and learning experiences across the range of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (30 Jun 2020)

Norma Foley: The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. The starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702. As a result of the programme of pay restoration, the starting salary of a teacher is now €36,953 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692. Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Jun 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 current school year over 120,000 children, including...