Results 1-20 of 16,285 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department of Education and Youth is committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing of our children. I am delighted to update you on the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot. Strand 1 sees direct counselling supports being provided to primary schools for the first time. The Department set up county panels of pre-approved private counsellors providing one-to-one counselling in all 595...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department of Education and Youth is committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing of our children. I am delighted to update you on the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot 2023-2025. The Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot has two strands and works to support children’s wellbeing and mental health in schools. Strand 1 sees direct counselling supports being provided to primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: Information available to my Department confirms that the school authority to which the Deputy refers is not the owner of the property referenced. This is consistent with the decision of the owner of the property to terminate the written lease arrangements in place with the school. This decision required an urgent accommodation solution for the pupils enrolled in the school which was met by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools, and the Programme for Government commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet the elevated day-to-day running costs. The commitment in the Programme for Government builds on the progress which has been made in recent years, including an over €30 million...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government. A steering group on teacher supply was established in my Department in 2018. The Teacher Supply Steering Group leads on the identification of issues, and the development of a programme of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the regulations at: www.teachingcouncil.ie/en/publications/registration/revised- teaching-council-registration-regulations-2016.pdf Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: An Oversight Agreement sets out the funding and administrative arrangements between Marino Institute of Education and my Department. An increase in the capitation grant rate came into effect in 2024. This increased rate is payable for all approved intake on the primary B.Ed (General Stream) plus primary PME programme in Marino. The rate increased from €7,193 to €7,693 per...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: An Oversight Agreement sets out the funding and administrative arrangements between Marino Institute of Education and my Department. My Department funds Marino for the delivery of primary ITE programmes through capitation and free fees grants, and there has been an increase in funding since 2024 as outlined below:A capitation grant rate is payable for all approved intake on the primary B.Ed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Functions (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: Officials in my Department have undertaken significant work, including engaging with officials in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and in the Office of the Attorney General, in relation to the measures that are needed to give full effect to the transfer of the relevant ministerial functions relating to further education and training. This will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: 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 of mine. Requirement for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity. In order to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas (SPA)and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the school in question currently has a project at stage 4 under my department's Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) scheme. This project will provide the school with three new science laboratories, two prep areas and a new design and communications (DCG) room as well as two mainstream classrooms by way of refurbishment of existing accommodation....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government provides for a number of measures to support small schools, including introducing a new national small schools' project and trialling new administrative supports. The Government is very aware that small schools are an important part of the life of local communities. The current small schools' action research project established in 2021 is due to conclude at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools, and the Programme for Government commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet the elevated day-to-day running costs. The commitment in the Programme for Government builds on the progress which has been made in recent years, including an over €30 million...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: 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 primary staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year are set out in Circular 0011/2025. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teacher Training (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The purpose of the Teacher Fee Refund Scheme is to provide funding towards the cost of course participation and examination fees on successful completion of teacher professional learning courses. In order to prioritise teachers’ professional learning in areas clearly linked to learning, teaching and assessment, funding is allocated to relevant programmes in line with policy priorities...

Review of Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004: Statements (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to be here today to share the report of the review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, EPSEN, Act 2004 which was published last Wednesday. It is a significant milestone in our shared work to create a more inclusive and equitable education system. The report allows for a moment of reflection - a moment to honour the hopes that inspired this landmark...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. Voluntary contributions are by their nature voluntary. It is up to each individual school to decide what it asks parents for. My objective as Minister is to ensure they have the support, funding and capitation they need for the day-to-day basics. That is why we recently increased the capitation. For next September, the rates for primary and post-primary schoolchildren...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. SNAs are an integral part of schools in supporting children and I acknowledge the work they do. By the end of this year, we will have more SNAs than we have ever had before. There will be more than 23,000 SNAs, including the 1,600 additional SNAs provided for in last year's budget. They are allocated through the NCSE and that is based on...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, this Government and my Department are committed to supporting our schools and ensuring that they have adequate funding. Capitation increased only in the last few weeks. This was secured in last year's budget. Any negotiations and agreements on next year's budget will be happening in the coming weeks. I am also interested in not only providing more supports for...