Results 1,081-1,100 of 17,382 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 - www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2001/act/8/enacted/en/html - and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies, or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and access for pupils with special needs. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation. An emergency is deemed to be a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (3 Jul 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 referenced, 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 Textbooks (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: As you are aware in early February, I announced details of the final phase of the ground-breaking scheme which provides free schoolbooks to all children and young people in the Free Education Scheme. From September 2025, over 940,000 children and young people will benefit from the Primary and Post-primary Schoolbooks Schemes. The investment of up to €123 million in 2025 significantly...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: Under the Education Act, the Boards of Management of Schools have responsibility for the day to day management of schools. Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is therefore a matter for the Board of Management of each school in the context of their digital learning planning. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community including...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Costs (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: Decisions on school uniforms are a matter for individual schools and Boards of Management. My department issued Circular 0032/2017, which 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 were advised that they should select school uniform items which are generic and can be purchased from a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered as part of my department’s Design & Build Programme and will deliver a new school building to accommodate 1,000 post-primary school pupils plus accommodation for students with special educational needs. Planning Permission was granted in January 2025. The prequalification process to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved for delivery to Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB). The project is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural planning process. This stage involves obtaining all statutory approvals, preparing a set of fully detailed Tender documents, and preparing an accurate pre-tender cost plan. My Department manages the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The project referred to by the Deputy, has been devolved for delivery to Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB). The project is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural planning process. This stage involves obtaining all statutory approvals, preparing a set of fully detailed Tender documents, and preparing an accurate pre-tender cost plan. The Department manages the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 - www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2001/act/8/enacted/en/html - and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: My department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The Minor Works Grant is provided to all primary and special schools, to enable them undertake small-scale minor maintenance and improvement works on a devolved basis. Primary and special schools need not apply for Minor Works Grant aid. Under the scheme, funding is made available to all primary and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: As the Deputy may be aware my department supports schools through funding from the furniture & equipment scheme (F&E) to have sufficient appropriate furniture and equipment to meet the needs of the vast majority of children. However, as the furniture and equipment needs of some children are highly sensitive and individualised, these applications for funding are dealt with on a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Leave of Absence following Assault Scheme, which is contained in the department’s Circular Letter 0061/2017 for teachers and Circular Letter 0062/2017 for SNAs, provides for special leave with pay (subject to specified limits) to a teacher/SNA who is unable to perform their duties due to a physical injury following an assault that happened in the course of their duties and during...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department recognises the vitally important role of Caretakers, Cleaners and Bus Escorts within school communities, as a key link between students, school leaders and other staff, ensuring that both the caretaking and cleaning needs of the school are met, and that children with additional needs are escorted safely on buses. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department’s Circular Letter 0013/2024 details the agreed terms and conditions of the Sick Leave Scheme for primary and post primary teachers. Regarding ‘Self-Certified Sick Leave’, the employer may appoint a substitute teacher paid by my Department, except for the first day of absence. In a primary school with two or less mainstream teachers, the employer may...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The curricular frameworks provide clear pathways for schools to include Amhrán na bhFiann as part of broader learning about Irish history and identity. It is a matter for each school to decide whether to include the National Anthem as part of their Irish, History or Music programme. My department recognises the importance of national symbols, including Amhrán na bhFiann, as valuable...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (3 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision-making authority for any change of status, including school closure and change of patronage, is the patron/trustees of the school concerned and it is open to any patron to submit proposals to the Department for consideration. Any proposal for school closure must involve extensive consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders, parents,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department of Education and Youth is committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing of our children. I am delighted to update you on the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot. Strand 1 sees direct counselling supports being provided to primary schools for the first time. The Department set up county panels of pre-approved private counsellors providing one-to-one counselling in all 595...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Educational Psychological Service (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department of Education and Youth is committed to supporting the emotional wellbeing of our children. I am delighted to update you on the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot 2023-2025. The Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot has two strands and works to support children’s wellbeing and mental health in schools. Strand 1 sees direct counselling supports being provided to primary...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (2 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: Information available to my Department confirms that the school authority to which the Deputy refers is not the owner of the property referenced. This is consistent with the decision of the owner of the property to terminate the written lease arrangements in place with the school. This decision required an urgent accommodation solution for the pupils enrolled in the school which was met by my...