Results 501-520 of 17,382 for speaker:Helen McEntee

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

Helen McEntee: This Government is fully committed to ensuring that every child has a positive school experience, with access to qualified and engaged teachers who are dedicated to supporting their learning. To address teacher supply issues, my Department has implemented several measures that have led to: an increase of 20% in Initial Teacher Education graduates (student teachers) between 2018 and 2023,...

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

Helen McEntee: My department holds statistics on the gender breakdown of teachers, I have collected data from the Department of Children and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to answer your question completely. I have broken out our responses below: Department of Children – Early Years/Pre-School Under pillar 4 of Nurturing Skills, The Workforce Plan...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: The rollout of the pilot Single Online Application for Schools marks a significant step towards fulfilling the Programme for Government commitment to introduce a nationwide common application system. As the Deputy will be aware, the pilot will involve five towns: Athenry, Celbridge, Clonakilty, Greystones, and Tullamore. The pilot will provide a single online application form for parents...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 879 and 880 together. This Government is fully committed to ensuring that every child has a positive school experience, with access to qualified and engaged teachers who are dedicated to supporting their learning. Given that school authorities manage the recruitment process independently, my Department does not collect data on recruitment by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am committed to the ongoing delivery of Senior Cycle Redevelopment in our schools, with many of our young people already experiencing the benefits of the reforms in classrooms today. Engagement with all education partners has played a key part in the success of the programme to date. Both post-primary teacher unions have been involved in the roll-out of the programme at every step since...

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

Helen McEntee: My Department is currently progressing its internal budgetary process as part of the ongoing preparations for Budget 2026. As part of this process, we are engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including contributions from education partners and organisations involved in broader areas of public policy. As in previous years, these submissions are being carefully considered and will...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 886 and 887 together. My Department is currently progressing its internal budgetary process as part of the ongoing preparations for Budget 2026. As part of this process, we are engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including contributions from education partners and organisations involved in broader areas of public policy. As in previous years,...

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

Helen McEntee: Tackling educational disadvantage and helping students reach their full potential is a top priority for the Minister for Education and Youth. Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of over €180 million. The programme focuses resources on schools with the highest...

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

Helen McEntee: My Department is engaging with ASTI on the matter, pursuant to the dispute resolution procedures set out under Section 5 of the Public Service Agreement. As the matter is being dealt with under an industrial relations process it would not be appropriate to make any further comment.

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: Teacher Training (8 Sep 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 891, 892, 893 and 894 together. 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. I am committed to addressing teacher supply and recently announced new teacher supply measures including a measure to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (8 Sep 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 staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally. At primary level, teachers are allocated to schools at an average of 1...

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

Helen McEntee: The joint major building project for the schools referred to by the deputy are currently at Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning - Developed Design - which is a crucial element of the architectural planning process as it is at this stage that the design is developed to a stage where it can be fully cost planned and prepared to lodge for statutory approvals. Upon receipt of the revised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (8 Sep 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. From the start of the 2025/26 school year, for the first time, all children and young people enrolled in primary, special and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme will be provided with...

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

Helen McEntee: The school to which the deputy refers has been granted capital funding for the provision of two mainstream classrooms under my Department’s SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This programme involves the use of Project Management supports which is designed to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and help ease the administrative...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 913, 914 and 915 together. The Department of Education and Youth is committed to building a world-class education system that is inclusive, equitable, and empowering for all. Every learner deserves the opportunity to thrive. Our focus is on high standards, inclusive practices, and strong supports to ensure no one is left behind....

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

Helen McEntee: 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 were included in a revised project scope in line with Climate...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 928 and 929 together. Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,400 school building projects. In the North West region - covering Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Leitrim and Sligo - my department has invested over €470m to...

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

Helen McEntee: The project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 1 – Preliminary Design which includes reviewing all information provided as part of the Project Brief. It also involves establishing and analysing all site factors and constraints which may impact on the project’s viability. In July the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55...

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

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department’s Budget currently stands at over €12.2 billion for 2025. This represents a significant investment in our education system and in our children and young people with an increase of more than €3.5 billion or 40% in the last 5 years. In the 2024/2025 school year, over 552,000 students are enrolled in primary schools and more than...