Results 1-20 of 16,227 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Review of Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004: Statements (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am pleased to be here today to share the report of the review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, EPSEN, Act 2004 which was published last Wednesday. It is a significant milestone in our shared work to create a more inclusive and equitable education system. The report allows for a moment of reflection - a moment to honour the hopes that inspired this landmark...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy. Voluntary contributions are by their nature voluntary. It is up to each individual school to decide what it asks parents for. My objective as Minister is to ensure they have the support, funding and capitation they need for the day-to-day basics. That is why we recently increased the capitation. For next September, the rates for primary and post-primary schoolchildren...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. SNAs are an integral part of schools in supporting children and I acknowledge the work they do. By the end of this year, we will have more SNAs than we have ever had before. There will be more than 23,000 SNAs, including the 1,600 additional SNAs provided for in last year's budget. They are allocated through the NCSE and that is based on...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, this Government and my Department are committed to supporting our schools and ensuring that they have adequate funding. Capitation increased only in the last few weeks. This was secured in last year's budget. Any negotiations and agreements on next year's budget will be happening in the coming weeks. I am also interested in not only providing more supports for...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I welcome the Lobinstown-Newtown and Drumcondra active retirement groups. We are delighted to have them here today.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank colleagues who have contributed. Referencing another point that they made, separate to amendments Nos. 9 and 13, I fully accept that there are institutions or individuals who are not included in this redress scheme. It is important to note whether it was this particular scheme, the residential institutions redress scheme back in 2002, or even more recently, the mother and baby homes...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I apologise to the different crowds who came in who I did not see. I acknowledge Sheila, Mary, Miriam and Mary. I thank them for being here at every debate, as difficult as I am sure it has been for each and every one of them. I acknowledge so much of what we have spoken of here today, not just specifically Caranua or the redress scheme but the trauma, hurt and pain that has been...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I will not repeat what I said earlier. I thank colleagues for their engagement. This is something that has obviously been ongoing for some time. I appreciate how challenging and difficult it has been for colleagues and particularly for survivors. I again acknowledge Mary, Mary, Miriam and Sheila, who are here today. After the conversations we have just had, I am not sure there is...

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...