Results 14,341-14,360 of 15,972 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 267 together. The Programme for Government commits to seeking to increase choice for parents by ensuring that families can access both multi/non-denominational and faith based education. For historical reasons, most primary schools are State-aided parish schools, with the local Bishop as patron. It is recognised, including by the Catholic...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Citizens' Assembly (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The establishment of Citizens’ Assemblies are the subject of a Government decision and resolutions of the Dáil and Seanad at the appropriate time. There is however a commitment in the Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland's Future to hold a convention bringing together all stakeholders in education. I am liaising with officials from my department in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Equality Issues (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: Section 37(1) of the Employment Equality Act 1998, as amended, aims to better protect employees against discrimination in an appropriate and balanced way, while respecting religious freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution. The amended Section 37 draws a distinction between religious institutions that are entirely privately funded and those which are funded by the taxpayer. The rationale...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: Please find attached requested data. Data provided is for mainstream pupils enrolled in Junior Infants in schools located in County Clare. Please note that standard data for academic year 2024-2025 will be available when final enrolments are published. We expect to publish final data in June 2025.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) advise the Minister for Education on curriculum and assessment in relation to early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools. This advice is shaped by feedback from consultations with the public, schools and early childhood settings, education interests and other stakeholders. The NCCA is in the process of redeveloping...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Planning Issues (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that requirements for school places are kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is an absolute priority to ensure that every child in the State has access to a school place and my Department is continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools to ensure that this is the case. Enrolment pressures can be driven by duplications of applications, applications from outside an area, and school of choice factors. Since 2020, my department has invested...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government commits to developing an appropriate mechanism to allow additional time for students with specific needs and in certain circumstances, and also to ensure that those who use assistive technology can do so in State examinations. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, and facilitates...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Statutory Instruments (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The table below details the Statutory Instruments anticipated to be brought forward and signed by my Department during the first six months of 2025, if they are concerned with the transposition and or implementation of further implementation of EU law requirements or if they are concerned with commencement of existing legislation. Statutory Instrument being brought forward ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Inquiries (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter the department’s pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project will provide 2 Mainstream Classrooms, 2 SET rooms, and a 2 Classroom SEN base (one classroom on both the junior and senior site). The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. A Stage 2B...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Schools PV Programme provides eligible schools with up to 6 kilowatts peak of roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) installations on their roofs, which equates to approximately 14 solar panels. The Schools PV Programme is funded by the Government’s Climate Action Fund which is managed by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications in line with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that my department has received a request from the patron of the schools under reference for the amalgamation of the two schools. As the Deputy will be aware the decision making authority for school amalgamations belongs to the patron or trustees of a school, and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education. Any proposed change involves...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for funding under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department is in receipt of an application, under the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school to which the deputy refers. The purpose of the Additional Schools' Accommodation scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT programme. ADAPT is an acronym for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering". The ADAPT programme uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The expansion of capacity at special schools is an important priority for my Department including for the special school referred to by the Deputy. The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT programme. ADAPT is an acronym for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering". The ADAPT programme uses...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department is delivering two significant projects at the school referred to by the Deputy, a new permanent school building and modular accommodation. The major building project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT programme. ADAPT is an acronym for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering". The ADAPT programme uses a professional external Project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers to was approved to enter the departments pipeline of school building projects under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to provide a 4 Classroom SEN base and 2 SET classrooms. This project was approved to go to Tender in July 2023. My department is currently reviewing a request for the use of Fingal owned land to the north of the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: Any proposed disposal of property by an ETB must be notified to my Department. Tipperary ETB has not yet notified my Department of an intention to dispose of the property mentioned. However, it is my Department’s understanding that the ETB is engaging with the tenant of the referenced property regarding the use of the building.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.8 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes new school buildings, some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State...