Results 181-200 of 16,184 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: That is okay.

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The hot school meals are provided through the Department of Social Protection. However, whether with regard to the nutritionist who will be in place from September to look at the overall nutritional value or the roll-out more broadly, we are collaborating with the Department of Social Protection to see how it can work best. Obviously, a lot of primary schools are in older buildings and, for...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The first question was about the status of special and DEIS schools. It is the case that special schools get enhanced capitation, which I mentioned. There are also additional supports provided for within the school, whether for the deputy principal post or school transport.

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: This comes back to the previous question, but special schools can recruit both primary and post-primary teachers. The issue about the allowances is part of the local bargaining that will take place with all of the unions and associations over the summer to see what more can be done in that regard. There is always more we can do to support our special schools and make sure that those in...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Being part of the same local authority area, I know we have a really proactive and ambitious local authority and the members of it want to use every space possible to provide for the community. I also want to make sure we can provide school places. If there is a need in an area and an opportunity to purchase a site or land because of that need, then that it is obviously something that has...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Will the Deputy translate the last question, if that is okay?

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: In terms of Irish Sign Language, this is something the NCCA is doing work on at the moment. There are no definitive plans but it is looking at whether this can be progressed as an official part of the curriculum. Any changes around the curriculum in Irish are being worked through at the moment, but no decisions have been made overall.

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: We agree we need to ensure every child is supported, be it in a separate classroom or in mainstream. That is why we have as many SNAs and special education teachers as we do. It is so that children with different needs can be supported, whether in mainstream or otherwise. There is more work we need to do for children who do not have autism and cannot attend autism classes or special schools.

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The reason there is not a weekly or monthly update on that is, to Deputy Cummins's point, 3,275 have been identified but a number of children separate to that have been identified within the school but are not known to the NCSE. They come into the figures as well and it changes every day depending on whether a place has been identified or otherwise. That is why we are not giving exact...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Deputy raised SNAs last week in the Dáil. SNAs allocated and SNAs in the schools are different timelines. The question the Deputy asked was at a particular point in time so the allocation might have been made but the SNAs were not in the school. To clarify, at the end of 2024, there were 21,579. From this September onwards - because allocations happen throughout the year - there...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Reviews happen continuously throughout the year.

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: A number of circulars are going out, setting in train the new processes. It is a constant review so any circulars will show there will be reviews from September. That is the case every year so it will not be anything particularly new.

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: On youth, over €90 million has transferred over from the Department of children along with the services. I will do my best at budget time to increase that funding and also to look at the capital side of things. The Deputy mentioned spaces and it is important the organisations - Foróige, Youth Work Ireland and many others - have access to up-to-date spaces that are welcoming and...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Senator. I agree. I have spoken to many teachers who are already using AI, whether in a special education setting or otherwise, who say it has been helpful. As part of leaving certificate reform and the roll-out, a task force has been put in place to look at teaching, learning and assessment, specifically for leaving certificate reform but it would be helpful for other elements...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The co-ordinator?

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Senator. The Department of Transport is committed to investing in the school fleet and the overall bus fleet that it has. The vast majority of our buses are Bus Éireann buses, so it is about upgrading them and making them more efficient, including more climate-efficient as well as everything else. The Department of Transport has a commitment to do that. There is also a...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: On the specific case the Deputy mentioned, schools cannot refuse students. While there may be a suggestion that it cannot accept the child because it does not have the support, students really cannot refuse students. What can happen is that the school would engage with the NCSE once the child is in the school to see what needs and supports are there. Reviews happen continuously throughout...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: There are different answers for primary school, post-primary school or-----

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Absolutely everything that can be done is being done to make sure we have the places as early as possible. However, where schools have only received sanction in recent weeks, it is difficult if site works have to be done to put in place the modular buildings. The earlier we bring those timelines, the quicker we will identify where a school needs an extra place or classroom. However, work...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 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...