Results 361-380 of 15,908 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (27 May 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: School Funding (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The minor works grant is provided to all primary and special schools to enable them undertake small-scale minor maintenance and improvement works on a devolved basis. Under Project Ireland 2040, a commitment was given that the Minor Works Grant would be paid in either December or January of the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (27 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. Schools that contacted the Department will be referred to the FSSU. The Department is committed to providing funding to recognised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my officials are engaging with the school in question to progress the delivery of 2 Special education modular classrooms. The modular project is to be delivered by an appointed Project Manager under my department's Project Manager Framework. As the Deputy will be aware, this will require the use of some of their current playing space. I can confirm that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered as part of the Department's ADAPT Programme. The Adapt Programme uses a professional external Programme Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning to Tender and Construction. The brief for this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. As the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department recognises the vitally important role of school caretaker. In supporting these vital school staff members, we also support the school community as a whole. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for caretaking and cleaning services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions those...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that my department is in receipt of an application for funding from the school in question. This application for temporary accommodation is being assessed under the department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and special education needs (SEN) accommodation is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, and facilitates access to the examinations through its scheme of reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations, otherwise known as the RACE scheme. I welcome that the SEC has commenced a comprehensive review of the scheme, and I have asked the SEC to respond...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 May 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (27 May 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Medical Cards (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 315 together. The Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024 provides for the delivery of a package of health supports and services to survivors of abuse in residential institutions who received an award of redress from the Residential Institutions Redress Board or a similar court award or settlement. The Bill completed...

Delivering a World-Class Education System: Statements (22 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am grateful for the opportunity to set out some of my priorities as Minister for Education and Youth and to share time with my colleagues. My objective is to deliver a world-class education system that breaks down barriers and ensures every child is supported to achieve their full potential. An education system that wraps around all children and young people in every community is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. More children than ever are accessing the transport scheme, at 173,000. There is a very clear commitment to make sure we expand that further and that as many children as possible can access it. Of course, that means more buses and more drivers. There are clear reasons as to why the 70 year age limit was set, but we have given a clear commitment...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the changes being proposed around the permanent posts. The reason I am proposing that is to make sure our young teachers have that permanent position so that they can access mortgages more quickly and that it gives them that sense of belonging within their schools. It is very much a decision for the individual schools as to whether they allow career...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (22 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I should explain that applications relating to the provision of funding for issues relating to an existing school building can fall under a number of different delivery mechanisms including, most frequently, the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) and the Emergency Works Scheme. The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. It does so...

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

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my department recently approved the provision of two special education classrooms, to be delivered by my department's Project Manager Framework. The project managers have carried out a site visit of the school in question and a viability report has been submitted to my department for review. My officials are currently reviewing the report and the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (22 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school secretary is at the heart of the school and is the key interface between students, parents, school leaders and other staff. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. In supporting these vital school staff members, we also support the school community as a whole. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools traditionally received assistance to provide for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (22 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. The DEIS programme is a key policy of government to tackle concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. My department is investing over €180 million annually to provide additional supports to almost 1,200 schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (22 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: An allocation of 0.50 WTE post is granted to schools, where they provide the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) programme. As set out in the relevant circulars (006/2025, 007/2025, 008/2025), schools are required to provide confirmation that the LCA programme will be provided in the 2025/26 school year. There are no plans to alter these arrangements. The Deputy may wish to note that, in...