Results 1-20 of 16,281 for speaker:Norma Foley

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my Department to address concentrated...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: Croke Park Hours were introduced in 2010 to all Public Servants under the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 and under this agreement teachers agreed to work an additional one hour per week of non-class contact activities over the course of a school year. The Croke Park hours are 33 additional hours a year at post primary (36 hours at primary) worked by teachers. These hours were reviewed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The large scale capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is part of a Campus project with two other schools. The project is included in the Department’s Construction Programme which will be delivered under the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework. The project brief includes the phased construction of two 16 classroom primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 - Tender Action and Award. The authorisation to issue the Letter of Intent progressed last week, when the Letter of Intent issues, as per procurement rules, there is a 14 day standstill period, following which, should the contractor accept, a Letter of Acceptance can issue. Only...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) to remove and replace the flooring of the entire school. This application was assessed by the Emergency Works team and deemed not to fall within the remit of the EWS as it is a maintenance matter, however the option is also open to the school to apply for these works under the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I recently announced €50 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) , which has now issued to all recognised primary, special Schools and post-primary schools. This ICT funding is being provided to schools to help them continue to use digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment and which represents the second tranche of ICT...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €4.5 billion to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day. The Minor Works Grant is one important element of this record level of capital investment in school infrastructure.? ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for my Department. As the Deputy may be aware, while there can be enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, it is important...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: I can confirm to the Deputy that the initial start-up location for the new special school in Kildare will be at the Craddockstown Education Campus beside Naas Community National School. The longer-term location for this new special school, which is under the patronage of Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board will be confirmed in due course. This follows the announcement on 6...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: As you are aware I recently announced €79 million in funding to support digital learning in schools and minor building works. €50 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools, while a separate €29 million in minor works funding is being provided to primary and special schools. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 Apr 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 traveling 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: After-School Support Services (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department supports and encourages the use of school buildings for community and recreational purposes, where feasible, including childcare and after school uses. However, the decision on the use of school property is a matter for the property owner taking into considerations the requirements of the school, students and staff. Also it is important that any proposed arrangement does not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: Circular 0038/2023 was issued by my Department in August 2023 and notified post primary teachers on the pre-2011 teacher pay scale of additional adjustments to certain allowances from the Sectoral Bargaining Fund with effect from 1 February 2022. The change implemented under the Circular is the payment of the Professional Master of Education (PME)/Higher Diploma in Education allowance...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Advertising (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department’s total spending on advertising both digital and traditional (including design costs) for the period in question is outlined below. 2023 €800,434.04 2022 €364,842.68 Below and in attached excel file please find a breakdown of regional and national advertising (broadcast and print) spend by the Department for the years 2022, 2023 and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: In accordance with Circular 0063/2021, teachers who considered that they were entitled to a qualification allowance were required to make a claim for payment of the allowance before the deadline of the 30th April 2022. This applies only to teachers who had an entitlement to an allowance prior to 1 February 2012 when qualification allowances were abolished for all new beneficiaries in line...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (24 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: My Department has not funded, supported or engaged with the services of this company.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Maternity Leave (23 Apr 2024)

Norma Foley: The Maternity Leave Scheme for teachers, as contained in the Department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019 (Chapter 2), is regulated by the Maternity Protection Act, 1994 as amended. A pregnant teacher who gives birth to a living child is entitled to 26 weeks statutory paid Maternity Leave and 16 weeks statutory additional unpaid Maternity Leave. The teacher may also be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (23 Apr 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 traveling 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (23 Apr 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 traveling 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...