Results 1-20 of 17,498 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: The purpose of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The CASWS operates on a multi-annual basis across a number of categories of works such as Curricular...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (22 Oct 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. As part of the capitation package in Budget...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my department has received an application, under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme, from the school authority in question. The purpose of the ASA 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 (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: In developing the Department’s Technical Guidance Document in relation to hand drying in schools a number of factors were considered including health/hygiene, noise and electrical demands on the school. Advice from Department of Health was that electric hand dryers were not the most effective means for children to dry their hands with regard to the removal of bacteria as children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: The proposed development at Dryton Villa, Clara, County Offaly (R35 FX28), is located on a site owned by Offaly County Council. As such, any update on the status of the development would be a matter for the relevant body responsible for the project. The department does not hold direct responsibility for the site and therefore cannot provide a current status update.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: The department’s main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.??Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available for the relevant year; the student should be admitted. In schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Artificial Intelligence (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department continue to review and follow guidance issued by the National Cyber Security Centre, Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, and the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform on the use of Artificial Intelligence. My Department has not deployed Agentic AI solutions at this time. My Department will continue to assess the suitability of Agentic AI on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school referred to by the Deputy contacted my Department in March 2025 seeking an update on its proposed additional accommodation. Following some initial engagement on the matter, my Department wrote to the school in June 2025 requesting clarification on a number of items. The Department is currently awaiting receipt of this clarification. Since 2020, the Department of Education and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: Information in relation to consultancy expenditure in my Department is compiled annually in respect of the previous year and published online at www.gov.ie/en/collection/department-of-education-and-skills- expenditure-on-consultancy/ The data in respect of 2025 is being compiled at present and will be published online as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Work Permits (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: The role of a Teacher in either secondary or primary schools is currently eligible for the General Employment Permit. In order to ensure that job opportunities are made available to Irish and EEA nationals, employers must undertake a Labour Market Needs Test before a General Employment Permit can be issued. The Department of Education and Youth are currently not aware of any proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: Tackling educational disadvantage and supporting students to realise their full potential in life is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth, and for the Government. Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of over €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: Tackling educational disadvantage and helping students realise their full potential is a key priority for the me as Minister for Education and Youth. Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of over €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16 million in 2026,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: The 2025 Programme for Government commits to the commencement of a national therapy service in education. The Education Therapy Service (ETS), as referenced in the recently announced Education Plan, arose from this commitment. The development and delivery of this service will be informed by detailed engagement with our colleagues in the HSE and stakeholders and will build on the National...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (22 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: Tackling educational disadvantage and helping students reach their full potential is a key priority for the Minister for Education and Youth. Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of over investment of over €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (21 Oct 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 and operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. The primary role of the EWS is to ensure that every child either attends school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Surveys (21 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 375 and 376 together. My department has published a comprehensive Education Plan 2025 that outlines a significant body of work being undertaken this year to deliver for everyone in our school and youth services’ communities. There are over 100 actions in this plan including a commitment to launch a survey of primary school parents and guardians...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Properties (21 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department currently owns one vacant building in Meath, the former St. Mary's convent in Trim. My department is currently liaising with Meath County Council in regards to the future use of this building.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (21 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision-making authority for any change of status including amalgamation is the patron/trustees of the schools concerned and it is open to any patron to submit proposals to the Department for consideration. Any proposed change involves extensive consultation at local level and must be well planned and managed in a manner that accommodates the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (21 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, in December 2024 my Department announced €12m in funding for a Science Implementation Support Grant to support schools with the rollout of the revised science subjects in the 2025/2026 school year. This grant was paid to all schools in the Free Education Scheme with a minimum base payment of €13,000 up to a maximum of €24,200 based on four...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (21 Oct 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 381, 382 and 391 together. The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 (The Act) provides a framework for school enrolment that is designed to ensure that every child is treated fairly and that the way in which schools decide on applications for admission is structured, fair and transparent. The Act provides that in schools, where there are places...