Results 761-780 of 15,047 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I look forward to working with all colleagues, particularly in this area. I thank the Deputy for asking this question as it is an important and live issue, in particular for students who will sit the leaving certificate in the years ahead. It is for this reason that, in the last few weeks, I have met nearly all the unions and representative bodies representing teachers, principals, schools...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I think our stakeholders have outlined a number of things clearly. First, they want to ensure teachers feel appropriately trained and equipped because they want to ensure they are giving their best and students get the best outcomes. A number of training programmes have been developed and delivered already and my intention is to try to intensify that and provide even more supports and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The most important thing here is that students benefit from the updated curriculums. In order to support teachers, I have asked my Department to intensify engagement. There are meetings happening on a weekly, if not biweekly, basis to ensure we look at how we can provide more and additional training, to ask if more resources need to be provided, to look at how we ensure that clear guidance...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Accommodation (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I appreciate, particularly in areas of huge growth, how important it is to have an adequate number of schools and schools adjacent to and near where students are living. That is the most important thing. My Department has a robust forward planning process which considers population and enrolment data. When it comes to the Dublin 15 area, the...

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

Helen McEntee: My Department has identified the need for a new special school to be established in the Lucan area for the 2025/26 school year. My Department considers that this need is best met through Lucan East Educate Together National School relocating to the new school building that is nearing completion in Kishoge and for the existing school building at Lucan East to be re-purposed to facilitate...

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

Helen McEntee: Mo bhuíochas duit as an gceist sin, a Theachta. The large scale capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is the provision of a new 600 pupil school building including all associated ancillary accommodation. The project was originally authorised to proceed to tender, upon completion of the prequalification shortlisting process in September 2022. Planning...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: After-School Support Services (27 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department liaises closely with the Department of Transport and Local Authorities to support opportunities for active travel to schools. The siting of schools and the provision of the enabling public infrastructure for the development of school buildings is a matter for Local Authorities in consultation with my Department. The priority for my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department has a very significant capital programme that is providing additional capacity around the country, underpinned by a robust forward planning process. Since 2020, my Department has invested over €5.7 billion in our schools, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects. Additionally, my officials work very closely with schools and patrons to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department of Education. Since 2020, my department has invested over €1.341 billion in school infrastructure in Dublin. This significant...

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

Helen McEntee: My Department has approved a major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers. This will provide a new extension and refurbishment to existing buildings to cater for 800 students plus classrooms for students with special education needs. This project is at Stage 2(b) with planning permission recently received which enables the detailed design and pre-tender documentation to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: As Minister for Education, I want to ensure that all children and young people have the opportunity of access to education that empowers them to thrive and realise their full potential. In 2024, the free Schoolbooks Scheme was expanded from primary schools and rolled out to all children and young people enrolled in Junior Cycle years in post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department of Education. Since 2020, my department has invested over €1.341 billion in school infrastructure in Dublin and €171 million...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Curaclam Scoile (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Is féidir liom a chur in iúl don Teachta go bhfuil an Rialtas thar a bheith tiomanta don Ghaeilge mar atá léirithe ag an iliomad gníomhartha atá á ndéanamh agus ag na tacaíochtaí a chuirtear ar fáil chun teagasc agus foghlaim na Gaeilge a neartú. Tá breithniú déanta ag mo roinnse ar na moltaí a rinneadh i...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Tacaíonn an Roinn Oideachais go hiomlán le bunú Gaelcholáiste i gceantar Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath Theas agus tá sí tiomanta go hiomlán dó sin. Tá an Roinn ag obair faoi láthair le hIontaobhas Scoileanna Éamainn Rís (ERST) chun a chinntiú go mbíonn plé leanúnach agus soiléir ann leis an scoil atá...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The provision of clinical therapy supports to children is the responsibility of the HSE. Matters in relation to the provision of therapy services and the deployment of HSE staff should be directed to the HSE or to the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality. My department is working with the Department of Health, DCEDIY and the HSE to develop and strengthen more coherent structures...

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

Helen McEntee: The project referred to by the Deputy is a shared campus project encompassing Scoil Mhuire Secondary School and Gaelscoil na Bóinne on a greenfield site in Trim, Co. Meath. The project is devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) as part of a programme of school building projects. The project brief for Scoil Mhuire Secondary School includes the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is an absolute priority to ensure that every child in the State has access to a school place and the Department of Education are continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools to ensure that this is the case. Enrolment pressures can be driven by duplications of applications, applications from outside an area, and school of choice factors. Since 2020, my department...

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

Helen McEntee: My Department’s Circular 0032/2017, was issued to the Boards of Management of all recognised primary and post-primary schools and to the Chief Executives of the Education and Training Boards. This Circular sets out the principles of cost-effective practice to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of returning to school. Under these measures, schools should select school uniform...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Educational Disadvantage (27 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department is committed to providing the best possible education experience for the children of this country. The education support centres play an important role by helping to ensure that our educators stay up to date with the latest teaching methodologies, and technologies. Education Support Centres are independent bodies recognised under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998). They...