Results 221-240 of 16,190 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (18 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally. The school referred to by the Deputy is to have a teaching post...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 and 374 together. At primary level, teachers are allocated to schools at an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. DEIS Urban Band 1 schools receive an average allocation of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively. The current pupil teacher ratio at post-primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The major building project for the schools referred to by the Deputy will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post primary school with accommodation and 6 classrooms for children with special educational needs and a new 8 classroom primary school with accommodation and 2 classrooms for children with special educational needs at Ballincollig, which will be delivered as part of a shared educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy was approved under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to enter my Department’s pipeline of school buildings for 2 General Classrooms, 1 Engineering Room, 2 Construction Rooms with 1 Prep Area, 1 Design & Communication Graphics room, 1 Multi Media room, 1 Graphics room, 1 Science Room with 1 Prep Area, 2...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to was approved to enter my department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide 4 General Classrooms, 2 SET Rooms, 1 Music Room, 1 Graphics Room, 1 Science Lab with Prep area, 1 Art Room, 2 Construction/Engineering Rooms with Prep area and a 2 classroom SEN Base. This project has been devolved for delivery to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 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 Funding (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced €35 million in funding to support digital learning in schools. €35 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has now issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This ICT funding is being provided to schools to enable the continued embedding of digital technologies in their teaching,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Tipperary Education and Training Board. The project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural planning design process (detailed design). The Stage 2a report has recently been submitted to the Department and is currently under review. Once the Stage 2a review is complete and approved, the next step for the Design...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Menstrual education is supported in the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum at primary level in a number of strands, including the ‘Myself’ and the ‘Knowing about My Body’ strand units. Opportunities are also provided in the SPHE curriculum at both junior and senior cycle to address reproductive health including fertility and for further...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The project for the school to which the Deputy refers, has been devolved to the school Board of Management for delivery, with the assistance of the Joint Managerial Body (JMB). This major building project includes an extension, refurbishment and demolition works which will deliver 750 post primary school building. The project is currently at Stage 2b. Stage 2b allows for detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers is at Stage 3 - Tender Action and Award. The Design Team have completed a Pre-tender estimate of the cost of the works, which is to be submitted to my Department for assessment. Once that assessment is complete, the project could proceed to tender in Quarter 3.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department of Education and Youth delivers payroll services to approximately 3,700 non-ETB schools and over 144,000 school staff each fortnight. Payslips are made available to serving and retired school staff, paid through the Department’s payroll service, in either one of two formats, as paper payslip or as electronic payslips. The Department uses the Digital Postbox...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 399 and 434 together. As part of the ongoing process of Junior Cycle reform, a revised Junior Cycle English specification has been examined for all candidates since 2017. Assessment for certification in the State examinations is based on the aims, objectives and learning outcomes of the specification. The Junior Cycle English specification, as published...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (17 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.The application in question is currently being reviewed by the technical area within the EWS. Once a technical recommendation has been received the EWS team will engage further with the school as appropriate. The EWS team is aware of the urgent nature of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, it is the duty of the patron to appoint, where practicable, a board of management. The patron of a school is the person or body of persons recognised as such by the Minister in accordance with the act. The board of management manages the school on behalf of the patron. The act also provides that the patron may appoint a person or persons to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Commissions of Investigation (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders recommended the establishment of a Commission of Investigation in relation to historical sexual abuse as its principal recommendation and this has been accepted by Government. A high level Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) was convened to advise on the recommendations of the Scoping...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: FET learners payments is the responsibility of the Minister for Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science and the question should therefore be re-directed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The purpose of my Department's Additional School Accommodation (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 school’s existing accommodation or by available accommodation at other schools in the area. The school referred to by the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government commits to developing an appropriate mechanism to allow additional time for students with specific needs and in certain circumstances, and also to ensure that those who use assistive technology can do so in State examinations. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, and facilitates...