Results 421-440 of 1,034,783 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn OR speaker:Noel Grealish OR speaker:Gerald Nash OR speaker:Maurice Quinlivan)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

School Transport

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

Michael Collins: 65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there will be extra funding for school transport for the 2024-25 school year. [30880/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

Michael Collins: We have been pleading with the Department for a long time for an answer for the students who are requesting a bus from Bantry to Schull Community College. Thirty-one children need this bus service. Will the Minister announce today that this bus service will be made available, giving relief to parents and children from the Bantry area?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 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 2023-24 school year more than 161,600 children, including 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, were transported on a daily basis...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Seán Canney: The overall spend is very high, and rightly so, because this is about education, which is fundamental to every person in the country. Focusing on primary schools and national schools, the big problem is that there was a cut to the capitation grant. Basically, that cut has not been restored. Looking at the capitation grant for national schools compared to what is available for secondary...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I appreciate there are challenges right across society and particularly in our schools. In recognition of that, we have seen, as I have outlined, an almost 35% increase being made available to the Department of Education in the budget. We currently have €10.9 billion, which is the third highest allocation across Government Departments. On foot of that, we have seen a considerable...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Seán Canney: While I appreciate that, I will say again that the funding for primary schools, and their capacity to be able to run the schools, has fallen back seriously based on the capitation grants they have now. Part of that is because inflation has come into being. Heating, electricity and insurance costs have all risen substantially. While I acknowledge there was a one-off payment, schools need a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank Deputy Canney. I appreciate his personal engagement on this matter. In the context of permanent increases, €21 million was secured in the budget. From 2024, that €21 million is ensuring the rate goes from €183 per pupil to €200 per pupil at primary level. That is a significant step forward in terms of a permanent increase in the core. Equally, other...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

School Funding

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Sorca Clarke: 63. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will conduct a full and independent analysis of the level and effectiveness of primary and post primary school funding. [29925/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Mairead Farrell: Will the Minister, Deputy Foley, be conducting a full and independent analysis of the level and effectiveness of primary and post-primary school funding?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The Department’s voted Estimate for capital and current expenditure for 2024 stands at €10.9 billion. This represents an increase of more than €2.8 billion, or 35%, since 2019. As I said previously, this is the third highest allocation to a Government Department. It indicates the commitment of Government to education. In the lead-up to budget 2025, as Minister for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Mairead Farrell: We need to have a frank conversation about this. Parents are really struggling every single year when they are bringing their kids to school. What we are seeing now, and what we have seen from the report of the Irish League of Credit Unions this week, is that parents are spending approximately €1,400 per secondary school child and over €1,000 per primary school child. As for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I thank Deputy Farrell. I appreciate it is hugely challenging for parents and for schools. Deputy Farrell specifically referenced parents. The Government has been very cognisant of that. The Deputy will be aware of the myriad of measures we have introduced in this regard. For example, for the benefit of parents, there is the free school books scheme, at a cost of €110 million,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Corporate Governance (11 Jul 2024)

Joe Flaherty: After 18 months of existence, the advantages of the CEA being a stand-alone agency are clear. In particular, the flexibility that status brings is readily apparent. Will the Minister indicate how the agency has performed regarding recruitment? Has it secured its own recruitment licence, thereby allowing it to run recruitment campaigns with competitions tailored to suit the needs of a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Corporate Governance (11 Jul 2024)

Dara Calleary: We engage regularly with the CO. The resourcing of the CEA is kept under constant review and the Department is involved in regular engagement to ensure resourcing is adequate for the job we have given it. Filling specialist posts tends to be a challenge for many agencies but we engage closely with the agency on that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Corporate Governance (11 Jul 2024)

Questions Nos. 16 to 60, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions (11 Jul 2024)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Special Educational Needs

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Sorca Clarke: 61. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the actions being taken to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing students can reach their full academic potential. [29924/24]