Results 61-80 of 16,184 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reports (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm that the Department of Education and Youth does not systematically ‘unpublish’ documents, reports, strategies or resources. The article the Deputy has supplied refers to a technical issue affecting some links on Gov.ie, resulting from a major system upgrade completed in April 2025. The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) manages Gov.ie...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Schooling (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Constitution acknowledges the family as the primary and natural educator of the child and sets out the rights and duties of the State in the matter of education. The Constitution makes explicit that the State does not oblige parents to send their children to any particular type of school. Parents are free to provide education in their homes, in private schools, or in schools recognised or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: To assist schools in terms of Wellbeing supports, my Department has put in place an Occupational Health Strategy as a supportive resource for staff and leaders in schools. The aim of the Occupational Health Strategy is to promote the health and wellbeing of employees in the workplace, with a strong focus on prevention. The Occupational Health Strategy comprises the Employee Assistance Service...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Programme for Government provides for a number of measures to support small schools, including introducing a new national small schools' project and trialling new administrative supports. The Government is very aware that small schools are an important part of the life of local communities. The current small schools' action research project established in 2021 is due to conclude at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Programme for Government (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to aim to reduce the general pupil teacher ratio at primary level to 19:1 over the term of government and introduce targeted measures in schools with very large classes. This will build on the progress which has been made by the previous Government. The general average of pupils to teachers in the Primary Staffing Schedule improved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the deputy refers was granted approval for the provision of two special education classrooms under my Departments Modular Accommodation Framework 2023. The use of the Department's Modular Accommodation Framework assists in ensuring lead in periods for procurement of modular accommodation are minimised to the greatest extent possible. The first tranche of funding (45%)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: In line with the provisions contained in Circular 0111/2007, a Special Needs Assistant (SNA) can be retained on my Department’s payroll and receive pay over the summer months where the relevant school management authorities provide the Non-Teaching Staff (NTS) Payroll with the following: a) Documentary evidence from the SENO for the relevant post for the 2008/09 school year, and ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 and 420 together. Under the Education Act 1998, the question of enrolment policy in individual schools, including the setting of catchment areas, is the responsibility of the board of management on behalf of the school patron. The selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: There are currently 172 primary schools with a multi-denominational or inter-denominational ethos. This includes:51 of the 52 new primary schools established since 2011 having a multi-denominational ethos32 areas now have increased multi-denominational provision as a result of the reconfiguration or divesting process undertaken since 2011.For historical reasons, most primary schools are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department’s main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.??Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available for the relevant year, the student should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: There are currently 172 primary schools with a multi-denominational or inter-denominational ethos. This includes:51 of the 52 new primary schools established since 2011 having a multi-denominational ethos32 areas now have increased multi-denominational provision as a result of the reconfiguration or divesting process undertaken since 2011. For historical reasons, most primary schools are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Projects (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available The information being sought will be collated and will be forwarded directly to the Deputy once available

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: Schools are advised that all pupils be included in Standardised Testing whenever possible. A principal may decide that it is possible to include a pupil in testing only if special accommodations are made. This can be done provided that:The accommodation next to the pupil’s result is noted.Results are interpreted cautiously, as the test has been taken outside of standardisation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Budget 2026 (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: My 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 Staff (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally. The primary school staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The individual in question is enrolled in two different pension schemes with the Department of Education. The benefits statement they are referring to pertains to their membership in the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. Public sector employees, including teachers, who joined the public service on or after January 1, 2013, or had a break in service of 26 weeks or more, are typically...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 433 and 434 together. As the Deputy is aware, I recently announced €35 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) which has now issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 and its associated implementation plan is underpinned by funding of €200...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Data Protection Commission has created the Data Protection Toolkit for Schools, in conjunction with various education stakeholders, which can be accessed via their website. Included is detailed guidance on different aspects of data protection law in the specific context of schools. There is an FAQ section containing answers to questions commonly received by the DPC from the education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under my Department's Additional School Accommodation scheme for a project to provide 2 mainstream classrooms and 1 special education tuition room. The project is 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (24 Jun 2025)

Helen McEntee: The ancillary services grant is payable to recognised primary schools and special schools in the Free Education Scheme. The grant is intended to cater for the cost of employing Secretarial and Caretaking staff. It is up to the BOM to allocate this funding as per their priorities. As per Circular 0040/2009 the capitation grant provided for general running costs and the ancillary services grant...