Results 3,221-3,240 of 17,498 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: 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 the Department of Education. Since 2020, my department has invested over €1.341 billion in school infrastructure in Dublin. This significant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department has approved a major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers. This will provide a new extension and refurbishment to existing buildings to cater for 800 students plus classrooms for students with special education needs. This project is at Stage 2(b) with planning permission recently received which enables the detailed design and pre-tender documentation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: As Minister for Education, I want to ensure that all children and young people have the opportunity of access to education that empowers them to thrive and realise their full potential. In 2024, the free Schoolbooks Scheme was expanded from primary schools and rolled out to all children and young people enrolled in Junior Cycle years in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: 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 the Department of Education. Since 2020, my department has invested over €1.341 billion in school infrastructure in Dublin and €171 million...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Curaclam Scoile (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Is féidir liom a chur in iúl don Teachta go bhfuil an Rialtas thar a bheith tiomanta don Ghaeilge mar atá léirithe ag an iliomad gníomhartha atá á ndéanamh agus ag na tacaíochtaí a chuirtear ar fáil chun teagasc agus foghlaim na Gaeilge a neartú. Tá breithniú déanta ag mo roinnse ar na moltaí a rinneadh i...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Tacaíonn an Roinn Oideachais go hiomlán le bunú Gaelcholáiste i gceantar Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath Theas agus tá sí tiomanta go hiomlán dó sin. Tá an Roinn ag obair faoi láthair le hIontaobhas Scoileanna Éamainn Rís (ERST) chun a chinntiú go mbíonn plé leanúnach agus soiléir ann leis an scoil atá...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The provision of clinical therapy supports to children is the responsibility of the HSE. Matters in relation to the provision of therapy services and the deployment of HSE staff should be directed to the HSE or to the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality. My department is working with the Department of Health, DCEDIY and the HSE to develop and strengthen more coherent structures...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The project referred to by the Deputy is a shared campus project encompassing Scoil Mhuire Secondary School and Gaelscoil na Bóinne on a greenfield site in Trim, Co. Meath. The project is devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) as part of a programme of school building projects. The project brief for Scoil Mhuire Secondary School includes the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is an absolute priority to ensure that every child in the State has access to a school place and the Department of Education are continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools to ensure that this is the case. Enrolment pressures can be driven by duplications of applications, applications from outside an area, and school of choice factors. Since 2020, my department...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department’s Circular 0032/2017, was issued to the Boards of Management of all recognised primary and post-primary schools and to the Chief Executives of the Education and Training Boards. This Circular sets out the principles of cost-effective practice to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of returning to school. Under these measures, schools should select school uniform...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department is committed to providing the best possible education experience for the children of this country. The education support centres play an important role by helping to ensure that our educators stay up to date with the latest teaching methodologies, and technologies. Education Support Centres are independent bodies recognised under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998). They...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The approach to Senior Cycle Redevelopment has, from its outset, been about collaboration, about engaging with stakeholders and partners in education, and about recognising and amplifying the student voice. I am committed to continuing that collaborative ethos as we all work together to deliver the change that our students deserve. Students and many other stakeholders and experts have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.7 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department of Education’s Circulars 10/2001 for primary teachers, and 29/2007 and 29/2010 for post-primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). These circulars provide for the award of incremental...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis for a number of categories and was last opened for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: 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 172,500 children, are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I take it that the Deputy is referring to the curricula for Social, Personal and Health Education (Social, Personal and Health Education), including Relationships and Sexuality (RSE). The aim of these curricula is to help students to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills, dispositions and values that will empower them to lead healthy and fulfilling lives, and to nurture respectful,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department of Education 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 primary schools in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has received an application, under the Additional Schools Accommodation Scheme (ASA), from the school authority in question. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department is liaising directly with the patron of the school in question relating to the matters referred to by the Deputy. A new school building is being provided as part of a two phased development on a Department owned site for the post primary school in question. The school has already occupied the element constructed in phase one and phase two is due to be completed shortly. The...