Results 101-120 of 17,382 for speaker:Helen McEntee

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

Helen McEntee: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, and facilitates access to the examinations through its scheme of reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations, otherwise known as the RACE scheme. I have asked the SEC to respond directly to the Deputy with further detail in relation to the issues raised.

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

Helen McEntee: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, and facilitates access to the examinations through its scheme of reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations, otherwise known as the RACE scheme. I have asked the SEC to respond directly to the Deputy with further detail about the avenues available to...

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

Helen McEntee: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, and facilitates access to the examinations through its scheme of reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations, otherwise known as the RACE scheme. I have asked the SEC to respond directly to the Deputy with further detail about the number of students receiving...

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

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government commits to expand the provision of after-school and childcare in school buildings and campuses, in tandem with the school building programme, to provide better access for parents and communities. While the primary role of my department is the provision of primary and post primary school education, my department has a stated policy of encouraging the use of...

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

Helen McEntee: The funding and policy for the School Meals Programme is under the responsibility of the Department of Social Protection. I fully support the objective of the School Meals Programme, which is a vital component of cross-departmental policies, and which encourage school attendance and educational achievement.

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

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government 2025 commits to expand the provision of after-school and childcare in school buildings and campuses, in tandem with the school building programme, to provide better access for parents and communities. My department actively encourages the use of school facilities, where feasible, for community purposes outside of school hours. To support schools in...

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

Helen McEntee: Recognising the vitally important role of secretaries and caretakers within school communities, my officials have been working intensively with stakeholders, with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, to establish a platform for meaningful discussion and resolution. I believe that all...

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

Helen McEntee: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will deliver a new 750 pupil post-primary school with accommodation and 4 classrooms for children with special educational needs. This project is being delivered as part of my Department's ADAPT Programme which uses a professional external Programme Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Integrated Project Team to achieve...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Mental Health Services (8 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 219 together. I thank the Deputy for his questions regarding mental health supports in schools. At the outset, it is important to note that the provision of child and adolescent mental health services lies specifically within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. HSE Primary Care Psychology Services and Child and Adolescent Mental...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (8 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is the responsibility of each individual school to select the digital resources, if any, that it will use to support its implementation of the curriculum. The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 does not mandate or prescribe the use of any particular devices or technologies in teaching and learning, and it is concerned with the deeper embedding of digital technologies in education, to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (8 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: The large scale capital project for the extension and refurbishment of the school referred to by the Deputy, to cater for a 30 classroom school, reached substantial completion in January 2025. The school was designed with storage facilities required for all of the accommodation at the school. My Department officials were informed by the school authority that the school had made a decision...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222, 223 and 224 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. Like many sectors, recruitment challenges exist in the education sector. The number of teachers is at a record high, with over...

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

Helen McEntee: Tackling educational disadvantage and supporting students to fulfil their full potential in life is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth, and for the Government. The DEIS programme is a key policy of Government to tackle concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. It provides a targeted range of supports and is additional to the universal supports provided to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (8 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: In May 2022, my department announced the publication of a report on the Review of Out-of-School Education Provision. This review focused on the education provision for learners under 16 years of age who have encountered difficulties staying in mainstream education. Arising from that review, a number of recommendations were made to inform future policy and provide a sustainable option...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (7 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: I move: THAT it is expedient to amend the law relating to inland revenue (including value-added tax and excise) and to make further provision in connection with finance.

Financial Resolution No. 3: Value-Added Tax (7 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: To respond to a number of points, I have never seen a Government implement in full its programme for Government in one year. Deputies need to acknowledge that we have four years hopefully ahead of us to implement many more measures-----

Financial Resolution No. 3: Value-Added Tax (7 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: -----and to activate more housing nor have I ever seen a Government that was not allowed to do more than the programme for Government. We may stray beyond the programme for Government from time to time, so be warned. Meath County Council has surpassed its housing targets with the support of Government. We will work with it to do even more. Coming from a county with a growing young...

Financial Resolution No. 3: Value-Added Tax (7 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: I have answered it. It is in addition to any other schemes.

Financial Resolution No. 4: Value-Added Tax (7 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: I move: (1) THAT the Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010 (No. 31 of 2010), be amended— (a) in section 46(1) – (i) in paragraph (a), by the insertion of “(cab),” after “(caa),”, (ii) in paragraph (c), by the insertion of “, (cab)” after “(caa)”, and (iii) by the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph...

Financial Resolution No. 3: Value-Added Tax (7 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputies. This financial resolution provides for the reduction of the VAT rate applied to the sale of new apartments to 9% from 8 October 2025. It will apply to the 31 December 2030, that is, for the next five years. Its estimated cost for the first year is €250 million. The Government is committed to the delivery of more than 300,000 new homes by 2023. It is, of...