Results 601-620 of 16,182 for speaker:Helen McEntee

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

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that the recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with Department Circulars 0044/2019 and 0031/2011, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified...

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

Helen McEntee: The contractual position in respect of the working hours of SNAs is as outlined in their contracts of employment which were agreed with the school management authorities and the relevant Trade Unions representing SNAs prior to their introduction in 2005. The working week for SNAs is defined in paragraph 2.5 of their contract as follows: "You will be required to work normal classroom hours...

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

Helen McEntee: The Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299 of 2007) place an obligation on the employer, as soon as it is notified by the special needs assistant that she is pregnant, to assess any specific risk in the workplace to that special needs assistant and to ensure that the pregnant, post-natal, or...

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

Helen McEntee: Under the Parental Leave Act 1998 and the Parental Leave (Amendment) Act 2006, an SNA can apply for Force Majeure Leave, which is a statutory entitlement, for urgent family reasons. Circular Letter 0032/2010 (www.into.ie/app/uploads/2019/07/cl0032_2010.pdf) titled ‘Brief Absences for Special Needs Assistants’, Section 4, outlines the current provisions as follows:Force Majeure...

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

Helen McEntee: Under section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012) the board of management is the employer of teachers, SNAs and other staff of the school. The board’s role as an employer includes responsibility for the recruitment and dismissal of teachers, SNAs and other staff within the school, subject to relevant Department circulars, employment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 276 together. My Department provides grant funding to youth organisations to support a broad range of youth services which are delivered by both paid youth workers and volunteers. The youth workers and other staff involved in youth services are employed directly by the youth organisations in receipt of the grant funding. As Youth Workers are not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Youth Services (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 278 together. My Department is committed to supporting the delivery and development of youth work services and opportunities for young people across the 16 education and training boards (ETBs) including Louth Meath ETB. In 2025, €940,836 was allocated to Louth Meath ETB under the UBU Your Space Your Place scheme. This represents an increase...

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

Helen McEntee: The most recent figures available concerns the students who began their post primary education in 2017. This cohort were due to complete their Leaving Certificate in the academic years 2021-22 or 2022-23. Figures for the 2018 cohort finishing in 2023-24 are yet to be published. Year Post Primary Education Commenced Total who left school prior to completing Leaving Cert ...

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 280, 281 and 282 together. Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), which includes the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS), is under the remit of my department since 2021. TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. The Act provides...

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

Helen McEntee: Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my Department. TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. Under the Act education is compulsory for a child resident in the State who has reached the age of 6 years and who (a) has not reached the age of 16 years, or (b) has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department is required to report on the extent of non-compliance with public procurement guidelines in its annual Appropriation Accounts. The reporting of framework-based procurement information does not fall under this requirement.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Officials in my Department have been in contact with the Deputy’s office and as agreed will collate the required information and forward to the Deputy directly. The information in respect of aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Officials in my Department have been in contact with the Deputy’s office and as agreed will collate the required information and forward to the Deputy directly. The information in respect of aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Officials in my Department have been in contact with the Deputy’s office and as agreed will collate the required information and forward to the Deputy directly.

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

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 289 together. The Department of Education prepares education expenditure data on an annual basis for the OECD, who then calculate total spend per students. These figures are included in their publication 'Education at a Glance'. The most recent year for which expenditure per student data at primary and post primary level is available is 2021. The...

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

Helen McEntee: The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide one mainstream classroom. The project was devolved to the school authority for delivery. A school building project has four points within the design and delivery process where approval from the Department to move to the succeeding stage is mandatory. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (27 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department is committed to supporting the delivery and development of youth work services and opportunities for young people across the 16 education and training boards (ETBs) including Laois Offaly ETB. In 2025, €138,580 was allocated to Laois Offaly ETB under the ETB Youth Service Grant, to support the ETB in carrying out its functions relating to the administration of the...

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

Helen McEntee: The school secretary and caretaker are at the heart of the school and are 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...

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

Helen McEntee: The school secretary and caretaker are at the heart of the school and are 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. Since September 2023 my department has been providing a payroll service for former grant...