Results 1,621-1,640 of 16,309 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Apr 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 daily to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (1 Apr 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. My Department supports and encourages the use of school buildings for community and recreational purposes, where feasible, including the provision of early learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (1 Apr 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Language Schools (1 Apr 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to inform the Deputy that financial requirements for students arriving into the country under a Stamp 2 visa does not fall under the remit of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (1 Apr 2025)

Helen McEntee: The patron of the school (person or body that manages a school) determines the ethos and characteristic spirit of the school. The patron also appoints the Board of Management to manage the operation of the school. The development and implementation of the curriculum in religious education in both primary and post-primary schools is the responsibility of the patron. The Education Act...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (1 Apr 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 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 all...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Apr 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 daily to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Online Safety (27 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The wellbeing of all learners is a key priority of the Department of Education, as well as the empowerment of parents and school communities through education and information. The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 sets out the Department’s policy approach to continue the progress made in embedding digital technology across the curriculum and in all aspects of teaching, learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Cards (27 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 218, 239, 243, 244 and 245 together. I can inform the Deputy that I have received correspondence from the individual concerned and will be responding directly in relation to the issues raised. As the Deputy will be aware, in June 2023 Government approved proposals for the delivery of a package of ongoing supports and services for survivors of abuse in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (27 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The development of digital skills and literacy must start from a young age. The Department of Education’s response to the provision of digital skills and literacy within early childhood and care and school settings includes:Curriculum at all levelsDigital Strategy for Schools to 2027STEM Education Policy Statement 2017-2026Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024-2033....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cybersecurity Policy (27 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 225 together. My Department takes the issue of cyber security very seriously. The Information Communications Technology Unit, within my Department, takes a whole-of-team approach to protect my Department's data and IT systems. Departmental staff are supported in this function by IT security vendors and third-party support companies. The...

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

Helen McEntee: Children and young people have a right to have their voices heard and taken seriously in all matters that affect them. My department is committed to embedding a culture of participation of children and young people in policy development at a national level and at a school level. A student participation unit was established in my department in April 2023 to help my department to make sure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Correspondence (27 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department was notified of a document circulating that was being purporting to be a circular from the Department of Education on 27 February. The fake circular was titled “Arrangements for making up days in light of school closures in primary schools for 2024/26 school year” and contained misinformation. It was therefore of the utmost importance that my department counteract...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 234 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (27 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (27 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department supports the introduction of new subjects in existing schools by providing funding for specialist furniture and equipment through the furniture and equipment (F&E) section. If a school wishes to apply for furniture and equipment for the introduction of a new subject they must meeting the following criteria: - The school has not previously applied for and received...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (27 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: Education Support Centres are each responsible for conducting their AGM, including in relation to eligibility, registration or admission of members. Neither I, nor my Department, are involved in these operational arrangements.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (27 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: Education Support Centres are each responsible for conducting their AGM, including in relation to eligibility, registration or admission of members. Neither I, nor my Department, are involved in these operational arrangements.