Results 61-80 of 16,285 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (1 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 staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally. The primary school staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy it is an absolute priority that every child in the State has access to a school place and the Department of Education and Youth are continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools to ensure that this is the case. Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country, including over €1.5 billion...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: This project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB). The design team are currently finalising the tender stage. When this stage is concluded, and approved by the department, the project will progress to construction in due course. The current status of all projects is listed on a county by county basis at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The information requested by the Deputy is set out below. St Thomas JNS & Scoil Áine SNS The joint school building project will deliver two new 24 classroom primary schools with accommodation for children with special educational needs, at the current site in Lucan. The project is currently at an early stage of Architectural Planning Stage 1 – Initial Sketch Scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Inspectorate conducts an annual inspection programme that consists of a variety of inspection and advisory models. These range from short, one-day, unannounced inspections (incidental inspections) to longer announced inspections including curriculum evaluations (CE) and whole-school evaluations (WSE). Curriculum evaluations and whole-school evaluations, among others, lead to a published...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Application (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school in question submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for external environment works. The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation and, on this basis, the school was advised to submit a revised scope of works with an accompanying itemised cost breakdown. Once this has been received the EWS...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the committee for giving me the opportunity to speak today and for the committee’s consideration of my Department’s Estimates allocation for 2025. I am accompanied today by my officials and I thank them for attending. These Estimates set out the allocations for the Department of Education and Youth under Vote 26. This includes funding for all of the services...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I stress that my ambition and that of the Minister of State - as the Deputy has said, we are working very closely together in the area of special education - is to make sure that every child has a school place, and when they are in school in a place that is appropriate to them, that they have the resources and the supports that they need, be it in mainstream, a special class or a special...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Absolutely. It is clear for all of us that schools are saying they need more support. We can do that in two ways. I outlined last week that first it is around capitation, direct funding and direct supports, but also looking at other ways in which we could reduce costs, whether it is insurance, energy bills or other areas. We are working on that. As the Deputy mentioned, the increase has...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: That has to be decided. I will be honest; the key focus at the moment is on our national development plan review and the summer economic statement, which will be published in the coming weeks. Beyond that then is a decision that would have been taken at a whole-of-government level. Unfortunately, I cannot give the Deputy clarity on that.

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy will see with the funding that has been allocated, there was a permanent increase in the base last year for school transport, which is welcome. It is an additional €54 million on top of that. As part of the cost-of-living, it was an additional €58 million which was provided for. This is where the Deputy will see the two figures in the graph that he has been given....

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: That is the commitment that we have made. We have not set that out yet. The pilot will continue into this year. Once it is assessed, it will give a clearer indication as to what is the best way to apply it. There are certain ways in which we can in lifting criteria and putting in certain routes. The pilot will show us what is working well and what we could do to enhance it.

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I agree with the Deputy that secretaries and caretakers are an integral part our schools. We need to work with them to make sure they are supported in the work they do. Any changes to terms and conditions, including pensions, would have to be agreed by the Department of public expenditure because it is connected to public sector pay agreements. Any of those negotiations have to come...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: This is an important measure and it is a priority for me and the Minister of State to get this in situ as soon as possible, to expand it and roll it out beyond our special schools. I am pleased in what I am seeking approval at the committee today includes €5 million in capital funding for this school term, specifically relating to therapies, but also €3.2 million in current...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: On the last question, as I understand it my ministerial colleague, Deputy Moynihan, said he would revert to the Deputy but I ask him to forward the details to my office too. As we discussed last week, with any suggested or proposed changes to the designation of any class or school the intention is to make classrooms and schools more inclusive and not to exclude anybody. It is not to prevent...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The plan is to try to make sure we are looking much further than a year ahead or even, as it is now, the year that we are in. If we only find out who the children are that need places in February or March, we are giving ourselves very little time to put those places in situ for September. That is why we are changing our timelines and why we are asking parents and schools to notify the NCSE...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The communications will be conducted through the NCSE and is very much a part of its budget. Work is already under way. A key role of the SENOs is to engage with schools to make sure that principals and teachers know about the new deadline. Obviously, that communication will follow through from the schools to any parents who are thinking of enrolling their child. There is also an onus on...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The intention is to make sure special schools have the resources they need. A different model is already applied to special schools. Changes were made recently to try to increase them. For example, all special schools will have an administrative deputy, 100 teaching posts have been allocated to post-primary-age students, NEPS has been in all special schools since September 2023, and there...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: There are special allowances based on equipment or supports that might be needed in classrooms. Following our conversation, I am keen to see if there are discrepancies around the capitation grant and how it is allocated. The baseline we apply to other schools is 60 students. If there are fewer than 60 students, does a special school get less? We will work through to see if there are gaps...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is my intention that we provide further support for youth funding, not just in the current budget but also on the capital side where it is a small part compared with the overall education budget. That is my ambition in the national development plan review. Separately, we need to understand how youth services can integrate and enhance the work in education and vice versa. Work is being...