Results 15,761-15,780 of 15,994 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (10 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm that my Department purchased the property in question in May 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (10 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department recognises the vitally important role of Secretaries and Caretakers within school communities, as a key link between students, parents, school leaders and other staff, ensuring that both the administrative and the caretaking needs of the school are met. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. The Department of Education and Youth is not the direct employer of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (10 Jun 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: School Textbooks (10 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: As Minister for Education, I believe it is crucially important that children and young people are actively supported to access education in its fullest forms. This Government recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many Irish families. As you are aware, in February of this year I announced the details of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (10 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the state. It is a function of the Council under the Teaching Council Acts (s7(2)) to act as the competent authority for recognition of qualifications obtained by a...

Seanad: Delivering a World-Class Education System: Statements (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am delighted to be in the Seanad for the second time this week and am grateful now for the opportunity to set out some of my priorities as Minister for Education and Youth. My objective, which I assume is the same for everybody, is to deliver a world-class education system which breaks down barriers and above all ensures every child can achieve his or her full potential. An education...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Some 399 new special classes have been sanctioned so far for the 2025-26 school year. Of these, 287 are at primary level and 112 are at post-primary level, increasing the number of special classes by 103% since 2020. This means overall that there will be 3,700 special classes and 129 special schools in operation throughout the country. We will continue to build on that. Just under...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and I have been meeting with the NCSE to make sure we are on top of the figures and understand where we are. As of yesterday, more than 92% of children have been allocated places or are in the process of that happening. Outside of Dublin, where there are still places to be allocated, there are pathways for every child. For example, in our county of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: On the children the Deputy mentioned, I will not be specific but that is why this process is important. If we do not know about a child and their needs, it is hard to identity and allocate support to them. For any child known to the NCSE in Kerry or anywhere, as far as I and the NCSE are concerned, there are places available and being provided. That is being worked through at the moment....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Examinations (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I will take it back to what we are discussing, and that is leaving certificate reform. It is important to stress we are living through a period of rapid change and it is essential that we equip children and young people with the skills and competencies they need to succeed and thrive in a changing world. That is a central purpose of senior cycle redevelopment, which builds on junior cycle...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Examinations (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: No, I do not. The Deputy said himself that teachers want leaving certificate reform. It is something they agree with. I point to the fact 73% of TUI members voted in favour of the measures. The ASTI and the TUI engaged very positively with my Department on this package of measures and asked for much of what is in this document. The vote was not on whether they support leaving certificate...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Examinations (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Is the Deputy willing to stand over the current situation? It is already the case that students with more money can access grinds and better supports. What we are doing is actually making it fairer. I had a group meeting recently with people from across different divides, including a woman who works in Maynooth University and comes from a very difficult background where she was not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Examinations (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am saying we need to support teachers to embrace AI and we need to make sure they can deal with challenges when they arise. There is more work to do; I appreciate that.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Examinations (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Information is being provided and more work is being done. An AI committee will be set up and teachers will be part of it. It is very important we get this right. AI is here to stay and we need to make sure we benefit from it.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: As has just been discussed, senior cycle redevelopment is about recognising and meeting the promise of education and enabling students to navigate the dynamic and ever-changing world around them by helping them to develop their talents, skills and understanding. Every child is different and has different abilities and, by bringing in these additional assessment components, we will make sure...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: As to the Deputy’s first point, I refer to the former Minister, Ruairí Quinn, who introduced junior cycle reform in the face of challenges. That work was followed up on by another former Minister, Jan O’Sullivan. Very soon after that, in 2016, leaving certificate reform started. This is not accelerated. It takes time and will be done on a phased basis. On the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The significant body of work being done with the inclusion of the TUI, the ASTI and all the representative groups is to make sure we produce the best leaving certificate possible to support students in the best way. We are not introducing 100% additional assessment components. There will still be, for the vast majority, 60% of an exam, which is still stressful enough but obviously it is not...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: At the outset, I acknowledge the recent school visit. I was invited by the Deputy as well as Deputy Ó Muirí and others. It was important for me to visit the school. I have heard from the Deputies so often of the challenges the school faces but, in particular, how wonderful the school is. It was wonderful to meet with an príomhoide, Eimer Nic an Rí, agus all the staff...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: We have set out the timeline. As of yesterday, there is nothing to suggest there are any issues with the work under way between the design team, the school and my Department, which means, I believe, that come September, we will be able to issue the tender. From speaking to some of the teachers when I visited the school a few weeks ago, I know that is the biggest concern. They have got to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: As I said, €405 million has been invested in Irish-medium schools in the past four years alone. It means there are now 248 Gaelscoileanna and 50 Gaelcholáistí across the country. I want to see that increase. Work is currently under way in my Department to develop a new policy on Irish-medium education. This is outside of the Gaeltachtaí. A policy for the...