Results 2,021-2,040 of 17,498 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: In early February, details were announced of the final phase of the free schoolbooks scheme - the extension of the scheme to Senior Cycle, including Transition Year, students. For the first time, all children and young people enrolled in primary, special and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme will be provided with schoolbooks and core classroom resources for the 2025/26...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am aware of the publication of the TIMMS results last December, which show that Ireland's fourth class and second year students were significantly above the international average. This level of performance has remained stable over the last three cycles of TIMMS despite the interruptions to learning caused by Covid-19 school closures. These performances reflect the hard work of our...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (20 May 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 Facilities (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware, I recently announced details in respect of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS) 2026 onwards. The purpose of the CASWS is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The CASWS will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that requirement for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Agreement is in place to acquire this primary school site, officials in my department are in discussions with the current owner of the site to finalise the transfer of the ownership of the site to the Minister. You will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included on the Department's Capital Program to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Health and Safety (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to inform the Deputy that enquiries relating to phone masts on lands which are not in the ownership of my Department are more appropriate to the local planning authority. Therefore, enquiries regarding these issues should be made with the local planning authority, who would deal with planning and development.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I gClár an Rialtais 2025, Todhchaí na hÉireann a Áirithiú, cuirtear de cheangal ar an rialtas an Ghaeilge a chosaint agus a chur chun cinn. Leanfaidh an Rialtas le bearta spriocdhírithe a chur i bhfeidhm chun úsáid na teanga a spreagadh. Mar is eol don Teachta maidir le hiarrthóirí atá ag déanamh scrúduithe...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: This Government is fully committed to ensuring that every child has a positive school experience, with access to qualified and engaged teachers who are dedicated to supporting their learning. This remains a top priority. As with other sectors, recruitment challenges exist in some schools. To address teacher supply issues, my Department has implemented several measures that have led to:an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: As Minister for Education and Youth, I am very conscious of the need to ensure our schools are supported enabling them to maximise teaching and learning outcomes for all students. It is vitally important that our education system is one in which every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. The School Completion Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (20 May 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 Funding (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: To date, €310 million has issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in ICT grant funding, under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 and the current Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027. This funding has enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: To date, €310 million has issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in ICT grant funding, under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 and the current Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027. This funding has enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: To date, €310 million has issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in ICT grant funding, under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 and the current Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027. This funding has enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Council of Ireland (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015. There are five routes of registration with the Teaching Council which are namely Route 1: Primary, Route 2: Post-primary, Route 3: Further Education, Route 4: Other and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Pay and workplace reform measures for public servants have been governed by a framework of public service pay agreements for a number of years with the new Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026 in place until June 2026. The value of public pay deals to the Government and the taxpayer is ensuring that pay costs are managed in a sustainable and orderly way and in a climate of industrial...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Sector Pay (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Pay and workplace reform measures for public servants have been governed by a framework of public service pay agreements for a number of years with the new Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026 in place until June 2026. The value of public pay deals to the Government and the taxpayer is ensuring that pay costs are managed in a sustainable and orderly way and in a climate of industrial...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government provides for a number of measures to support small schools, including introducing a new national small schools' project and trialing new administrative supports. The Government is very aware that small schools are an important part of the life of local communities. The current small schools' action research project established in 2021 is being extended for a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision-making authority for any change of status, including school closure or amalgamation, is the patron/trustees of the school concerned and it is open to any patron to submit proposals to the Department for consideration. Any proposal for amalgamation or school closure must involve extensive consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (20 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Schools in financial difficulty are encouraged to contact my Department for advice and support. The Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to schools, which may include an advance in capitation grant funding or other measures. The Department is constantly engaging with a number of schools in this respect. Schools that have contacted the Department have...