Results 15,541-15,560 of 15,994 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I move amendment No. 7: In page 7, lines 12 and 13, to delete “by a registered medical practitioner or a registered nurse” and substitute “on behalf of the Executive”. This is a technical amendment to section 4. It was raised on Committee Stage by the Minister, Deputy Foley. Section 4(1)(d) currently provides for the provision of a home help service...

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputies. To clarify, it is for exactly that reason that this amendment is being made. It is to ensure it is not so narrow that it would exclude other practitioners who could make these recommendations. It is not to make it more difficult but to make it broader - I will not say easier as it is never easy - by allowing more medical practitioners within the HSE to make these...

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I move amendment No. 20: In page 15, after 11, to insert "and Youth".

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputies. A number of points were raised. The criteria that were agreed previously for the redress board focused on the abuse that was suffered within the institutions as opposed to those who were in the institutions. Deputies might say that, irrespective of this, someone was in an institution and suffered abuse, and I do not dispute that. However, what we have here has the...

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

Helen McEntee: The school secretary is at the heart of the school and they are the key interface between students, parents, school leaders and other staff. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. In supporting these vital school staff members, we also support the school community as a whole. Since September 2023 my department has been providing a payroll service for former grant funded...

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

Helen McEntee: I am aware from Standardised Testing in English Reading and Mathematics in the Irish Primary School: A Survey of Irish Primary Teachers (May 2019) that ‘receiving grinds prior to standardised testing was reported to be a reality in Irish primary schools, albeit at a relatively low incidence’. This suggests that, for some parents, there remains a high level of concern about...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Welfare Service (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), which includes the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS), is under the remit of my Department since 2021. The primary role of the EWS is to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a certain minimum education; to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education. Educational Welfare Officers...

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

Helen McEntee: The Department of Education and Youth is committed to providing schools at both primary and post-primary level with as much detail regarding grants, grant amounts and expected payment timeframes for each academic year in as far in advance as is practicable. For the 2025/26 academic year, officials in the Department are currently considering the presentation of schedules for grants that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department is fully supportive and remains committed to the opening of a Gaelcholáiste at the school referred to by the Deputy. It will meet the growing demand for a co-educational Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 area. My Department is currently working with the school patron to ensure the successful transition of the school to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). The circulars provide for the award of incremental credit in respect...

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

Helen McEntee: The school secretary is at the heart of the school and is the key interface between students, parents, school leaders and other staff. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. In supporting these vital school staff members, we also support the school community as a whole. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools traditionally received assistance to provide for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Staff (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that the recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circulars 0044/2019 and 0031/2011, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The contractual position in respect of the working hours of SNAs is as outlined in their contracts of employment which were agreed with the school management authorities and the relevant Trade Unions representing SNAs prior to their introduction in 2005. The working week for SNAs is defined in paragraph 2.5 of their contract as follows: "You will be required to work normal classroom hours...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299 of 2007) place an obligation on the employer, as soon as it is notified by the special needs assistant that she is pregnant, to assess any specific risk in the workplace to that special needs assistant and to ensure that the pregnant, post-natal, or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Under the Parental Leave Act 1998 and the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2006, an SNA can apply for Force Majeure Leave, which is a statutory entitlement, for urgent family reasons. Circular Letter 0032/2010 (www.into.ie/app/uploads/2019/07/cl0032_2010.pdf) titled ‘Brief Absences for Special Needs Assistants’, Section 4, outlines the current provisions as follows:Force Majeure...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Under section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012) the board of management is the employer of teachers, SNAs and other staff of the school. The board’s role as an employer includes responsibility for the recruitment and dismissal of teachers, SNAs and other staff within the school, subject to relevant Department circulars, employment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 276 together. My Department provides grant funding to youth organisations to support a broad range of youth services which are delivered by both paid youth workers and volunteers. The youth workers and other staff involved in youth services are employed directly by the youth organisations in receipt of the grant funding. As Youth Workers are not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 278 together. My Department is committed to supporting the delivery and development of youth work services and opportunities for young people across the 16 education and training boards (ETBs) including Louth Meath ETB. In 2025, €940,836 was allocated to Louth Meath ETB under the UBU Your Space Your Place scheme. This represents an increase...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early School Leavers (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The most recent figures available concerns the students who began their post primary education in 2017. This cohort were due to complete their Leaving Certificate in the academic years 2021-22 or 2022-23. Figures for the 2018 cohort finishing in 2023-24 are yet to be published. Year Post Primary Education Commenced Total who left school prior to completing Leaving Cert ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Early School Leavers (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 280, 281 and 282 together. Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), which includes the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS), is under the remit of my department since 2021. TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. The Act provides...