Results 641-660 of 15,028 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (6 Mar 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: Statutory Instruments (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The table below details the Statutory Instruments anticipated to be brought forward and signed by my Department during the first six months of 2025, if they are concerned with the transposition and or implementation of further implementation of EU law requirements or if they are concerned with commencement of existing legislation. Statutory Instrument being brought forward ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Inquiries (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter the department’s pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project will provide 2 Mainstream Classrooms, 2 SET rooms, and a 2 Classroom SEN base (one classroom on both the junior and senior site). The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. A Stage 2B...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Schools PV Programme provides eligible schools with up to 6 kilowatts peak of roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) installations on their roofs, which equates to approximately 14 solar panels. The Schools PV Programme is funded by the Government’s Climate Action Fund which is managed by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications in line with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that my department has received a request from the patron of the schools under reference for the amalgamation of the two schools. As the Deputy will be aware the decision making authority for school amalgamations belongs to the patron or trustees of a school, and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education. Any proposed change involves...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for funding under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department is in receipt of an application, under the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school to which the deputy refers. The purpose of the Additional Schools' Accommodation 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT programme. ADAPT is an acronym for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering". The ADAPT programme uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The expansion of capacity at special schools is an important priority for my Department including for the special school referred to by the Deputy. The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT programme. ADAPT is an acronym for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering". The ADAPT programme uses...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department is delivering two significant projects at the school referred to by the Deputy, a new permanent school building and modular accommodation. The major building project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT programme. ADAPT is an acronym for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering". The ADAPT programme uses a professional external Project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers to was approved to enter the departments pipeline of school building projects under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to provide a 4 Classroom SEN base and 2 SET classrooms. This project was approved to go to Tender in July 2023. My department is currently reviewing a request for the use of Fingal owned land to the north of the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (6 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: Any proposed disposal of property by an ETB must be notified to my Department. Tipperary ETB has not yet notified my Department of an intention to dispose of the property mentioned. However, it is my Department’s understanding that the ETB is engaging with the tenant of the referenced property regarding the use of the building.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter the department’s pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project will provide 2 science laboratories and preparation area, 1 home economics room, 1 music room, 1 textiles room and a 2 classroom Special Education Needs (SEN) base. The project has been devolved for delivery to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (5 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I have asked my Department to work on updating contingency plans for extreme weather events and that this work would be done in consultation with relevant stakeholders. As part of its linkage in to the National Emergency Coordination Group my Department provided guidance and support to the school system including provision of generators to a small number of schools that had significant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be delivered under my 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 design stages of architectural planning to Tender and Construction. The Brief for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (5 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. The purpose of the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (5 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: I am keenly aware of the challenges faced by educators and parents in relation to costs of digital technology, including tablets, and my Department continues to work to help support schools and families meet these costs. As referred, in 2017, a circular letter issued to schools with measures to be adopted to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs including such ICT devices. ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (5 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools are a matter for the Board of Management of each school. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community including parents when planning for the introduction of digital technologies including devices with cost and other implications being fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (5 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: In relation to the provision of a schedule of suppliers of iPads or tablets to schools, my Department does not track or collect specific data on devices in use by schools. The OGP and HEAnet provide framework mechanisms which school can use to procure appropriate equipment, including for digital devices. Where schools have availed of those frameworks, the OGP and HEAnet as framework managers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (5 Mar 2025)

Helen McEntee: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, over 172,500 children, are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes daily to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes...