Results 15,821-15,840 of 15,994 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (11 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan (NDP), involving the completion of over 1,375 school building projects. Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. A recent Government decision has approved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 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: School Curriculum (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Senior Cycle Redevelopment will ensure that we can equip every student with the skills and competencies they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. A key element of the redevelopment programme is the introduction of additional assessment components that are not traditional written examinations, where students can earn at least 40% of the final available marks. I hope that this important...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, the Programme for Government includes a commitment to expand opportunities for students to attend Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí. The project to deliver a new 600 pupil building for the school in question supports this commitment. When I recently visited the school I saw first-hand the importance of the planned building project for the school community....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools and the Programme for Government commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet the elevated day to day running costs. The Commitment in the Programme for Government builds on the progress which has been made in recent years, including a €30 million permanent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The staffing schedule is an allocation mechanism that uses enrolment bands to determine the number of classroom teaching posts allocated to a school. This is a long-standing arrangement for allocating teaching posts to our primary schools in a fair and equitable way based on their respective enrolment. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The major building project referred to by the Deputy will deliver a shared educational campus which will provide 2 new 1,000 pupil post primary schools with 6 classrooms for children with special education needs, a new 8 classroom primary school with accommodation and 2 classrooms for children with special education needs and a new 20 classroom special school at the Swords Road campus in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan (NDP), involving the completion of over 1,375 school building projects. Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. A recent Government decision has approved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The DEIS programme is a key policy of Government to provide equity of opportunity to young people at risk of educational disadvantage to achieve their potential through education. My department invests over €180 million annually in supporting schools in the DEIS programme, of which over €20m is allocated to schools by way of a DEIS grant. This includes a targeted range of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools and the Programme for Government commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet the elevated day-to-day running costs. The commitment in the Programme for Government builds on the progress which has been made in recent years, including a €30 million permanent...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Tackling educational disadvantage and supporting students to achieve 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: Irish Language (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta, as an gceist seo a ardú. As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government commits to expand opportunities for students to attend gaelscoileanna and gaelcholáistí. My department promotes and supports various models of immersive Irish-medium education at post-primary level. As well as supporting gaelcholáistí, my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department has a robust forward planning process which considers population and enrolment data. Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, is by way of expansion of existing schools, rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: There is a commitment in the current Programme for Government 2025 to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand and support parents choosing Irish-medium education for their children. This commitment is supported by the ongoing work within the department on the development of a new policy for Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. This policy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The project referred to by the Deputy is devolved for delivery to Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB). The project is currently at Stage 2a (the developed design stage) of the architectural process. As part of this process a stage 2a report was submitted in May 2025 by the project Design Team for review by the Department. Once this information is reviewed and approved by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The expansion of capacity at special schools is an important priority for my department including the special school referred to by the Deputy. I can confirm that in 2022 approval was granted by my department for a traditional build project to provide 4 additional special education classrooms and the project is currently at design stage. The school subsequently submitted an Additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: 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 Laois Offaly ETB. In 2025, €138,580 was allocated to Laois Offaly ETB under the ETB Youth Service Grant, to support the ETB in carrying out its functions relating to the administration of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Artificial Intelligence (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: There is a need to ensure careful consideration regarding the use of AI in all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment, and that teachers and school leaders have the necessary resources and skills to support them as autonomous professionals. The Department, with the support of Oide Technology in Education (TiE) is currently finalising guidance on the use of AI in teaching and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (12 Jun 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 Funding (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for roof works. My Department has recently received the requested leak detection report which is currently undergoing a technical review, once a technical recommendation has been received the EWS team will will engage further with the school as appropriate. The EWS team is...