Results 741-760 of 16,608 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department has a robust forward planning process which considers population and enrolment data. Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, is by way of expansion of existing schools, rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: There is a commitment in the current Programme for Government 2025 to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand and support parents choosing Irish-medium education for their children. This commitment is supported by the ongoing work within the department on the development of a new policy for Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. This policy...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 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 Accommodation (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The expansion of capacity at special schools is an important priority for my department including the special school referred to by the Deputy. I can confirm that in 2022 approval was granted by my department for a traditional build project to provide 4 additional special education classrooms and the project is currently at design stage. The school subsequently submitted an Additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (12 Jun 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: Artificial Intelligence (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: There is a need to ensure careful consideration regarding the use of AI in all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment, and that teachers and school leaders have the necessary resources and skills to support them as autonomous professionals. The Department, with the support of Oide Technology in Education (TiE) is currently finalising guidance on the use of AI in teaching and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The programme for Government commits to expand the provision of after-school and childcare in school buildings and campuses, in tandem with the school building programme, to provide better access for parents and communities. My Department supports and encourages the use of school buildings for community and recreational purposes, where feasible, including the provision of early learning and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 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. My Department has recently received the requested leak detection report which is currently undergoing a technical review, once a technical recommendation has been received the EWS team will will engage further with the school as appropriate. The EWS team is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The wellbeing of all learners is, and will continue to be, a key priority of the Department of Education, as well as the empowerment of parents and school communities through education and information. Online safety and the safe and ethical use of digital technologies is a key component of the Department’s Digital Strategy for Schools. The Strategy recognises that the education system...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department recognises the vitally important role of secretaries and caretakers within school communities, as a key link between students, school leaders and other staff, ensuring that both the core needs of the school are met. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions those staff are not public servants but...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Thank you for your question regarding the STEM Education Policy Statement 2017–2026. Since the launch of the policy statement, the Department of Education and Youth has made significant progress towards enhancing STEM teaching and learning across all levels of education from early learning and care to post-primary school level. The STEM Education Implementation Plan to 2026...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Under Project Ireland 2040, a commitment was given that the Minor Works Grant would be paid in either December or January of the school year to all primary schools, including special schools. In recent years, my department’s approach has been to pay the Minor Works Grant to schools in advance of the start of the following school year, in order to facilitate a better lead in period for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Teaching remains an attractive profession in Ireland and there are now more teachers employed in primary schools across the country than ever before. My Department publishes data on teacher numbers in June of each year and is available for the deputy to view on the Departments’ website: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/publications/teacher-s tatistics/ The data show that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Irish Language (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The criteria for recognition as a Gaeltacht School were set out in circular 0034/2017 for post-primary schools when schools were invited to join the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme in 2017. There are 11 criteria for post-primary schools, including the requirement to “deliver high-quality educational experiences through Irish to all students focusing particular attention on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The purpose of the Summer Works Scheme 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 Summer Works Scheme plays an important role in the maintenance and upgrade of the condition of our schools. It provides...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their 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. The new...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools. This has included a €30 million permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs through Budget 2025. This represents an increase of circa 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates. This increase is on top of the circa 9.2% increase from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced €65 million in funding to support digital learning in schools and minor building works. €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 help them continue to use digital technologies...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (12 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (12 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. My Department has recently received the requested leak detection report which is currently undergoing a technical review, once a technical recommendation has been received the EWS team will will engage further with the school as appropriate. The EWS team is...