Results 461-480 of 17,382 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circular 31/2011 (), which is available on the Department’s website under gov.ie - Department of Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: After-School Support Services (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. The Department of Education and Youth acknowledges the increasing demand for after-school places and the essential role these services play in supporting children and families. While the direct provision of after-school care is not within the department’s remit, we work closely with the Department of Children, Disability and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: Schools admissions policies, including the selection criterion to be used where the school is oversubscribed, must comply with the 2018 Act, be non-discriminatory and be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. A school must accept all applicants unless oversubscribed. All schools must clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016. As set out in the Schedule of the Regulations, the Council registers teachers under five routes of registration: Route 1 - Primary, Route 2 - Post-primary, Route 3 - Further Education, Route 4 - Other and Route 5 - Student Teacher. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department is committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality, and where every child and young person feels safe, valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. Oide, the department funded support service for teachers and school leaders, provides a variety of professional learning to teachers that places the learner at the centre...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 798 and 799 together. The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including 6 classrooms, for children with special education needs on a site at Kishoge Cross, Griffeen Avenue, Lucan, Co Dublin. The project is being delivered under the design and build programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: There are currently no unused properties, lands or buildings owned by or under the control of my department in County Kerry. All my department’s properties in Kerry have either an operating school, or are sites intended for imminent development for educational, recreational and community purposes.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 802, 815, 840, 843, 883, 899, 978, 979, 981, 989, 1003 and 1004 together. Recognising the vitally important role of secretaries and caretakers within school communities, my officials have been working intensively with stakeholders and with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to establish a platform for meaningful discussion and resolution. On Friday...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that the target date for completion of repurposing works to improve the school's existing accommodation is 7th September. The school will reopen following completion of the works.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Refurbishment (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for external environment works. The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The organisation in question is an independent voluntary organisation governed by its independent Board. As such, the establishment of a redress scheme is a matter for the organisation to determine. The organisation receives some of its funding from the Department of Education and Youth. My officials engage regularly with the organisation to ensure proper governance in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the departments pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide 4 SET/Pastoral Rooms, 1 Multi-Media room, 1 Music Room, 1 Textiles Room, 1 Art Room, Project store, 3 SEN Class Base, and reconfiguration works to existing Multimedia Room to revert to 1 Mainstream Classroom. The project has been devolved for delivery to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Sep 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. Like many sectors, recruitment challenges exist in the education sector. The number of teachers is at a record high, with over 79,000 currently employed. Teaching posts have grown by over...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy should note that textbooks are only one of the broad range of educational materials and products, printed as well as digital and online, that are used in schools. The only requirement from my department for any resource used in a school, is that it is relevant to the curriculum. Ultimately, the decision on which resources and textbooks, if any, most appropriately supports the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The criteria required to have incremental credit awarded to qualified Special Needs Assistants (SNA) is set out in Circular 0139/2006 and was agreed with the unions representing the Special Needs Assistants, School Management Representatives, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education. To qualify for an award of incremental credit an SNA and their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for mechanical and electrical works. The application in question is currently being reviewed by the technical area within the EWS. Once a technical recommendation has been received back from the technical team, the EWS team will engage further with the school as appropriate. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’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 were agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). In accordance with the Circulars, the incremental credit scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to direct the Deputy to the most recent Action Plan submitted by Ireland to the Council of Europe, published on my Department's website at OKeeffe_v_Ireland_Action_Plan_30_July_2025.pdf (www.assets.gov.ie/static/documents/OKeeffe_v_Ireland_Action _Plan_30_July_2025.pdf) which provides a comprehensive overview of the measures adopted by the State to ensure that the violations of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), which includes the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS), is under the remit of my department since 2021 and operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. The primary role of the EWS is to ensure that every child either attends school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 823, 841 and 861 together. The large scale capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is the provision of a new 600 pupil school building including all associated ancillary accommodation. My Department previously advised a new grant of planning was received in December 2023, with a number of conditions attached. Decarbonisation measures...