Results 1,141-1,160 of 17,382 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools and the Programme for Government commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet the elevated day-to-day running costs. The commitment in the Programme for Government builds on the progress which has been made in recent years, including an over €30 million...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (1 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: Departmental Budgets (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: At primary level, teachers are allocated to schools at an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. DEIS Urban Band 1 schools receive an average allocation of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively. The current pupil teacher ratio at post-primary level is 19:1 for schools in the free education system,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I recognise the key role school leadership in improving educational outcomes by creating a positive school climate and environment as well as motivating and empowering educators and learners within their school communities. The Sectoral Bargaining process under Building Momentum for the primary sector has been used to increase posts of responsibility (POR) in primary and special schools...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I would like to thank Deputy Boyd Barrett for his question regarding my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). NEPS provides educational psychological support to all primary, post-primary, and special schools. NEPS provides all schools with:psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident,a casework service for individual children where there is a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Projects (1 Jul 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 primary staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year are set out in Circular 0011/2025. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (1 Jul 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 primary staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year are set out in Circular 0011/2025. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Appointments (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: An official from my Department has been in direct contact with the teacher concerned. Following review of the application, the conditions for award of a contract of indefinite duration (CID ) in the specific case were not met and the teacher and the school have been informed accordingly. The school may submit a new application in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (1 Jul 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 primary staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year are set out in Circular 0011/2025. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: 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 of mine. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The payment of teachers on carer's leave is a manual process. The school employer is required to notify the Payroll Section of my Department of the days worked by the teacher while on carer's leave during the payroll period. My Department has implemented a Customer contact form which allows schools to submit the required information through an online form. This allows efficient processing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Communications (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: School secretaries are at the heart of the school and are the key interface between students, parents, school leaders and other staff. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. In supporting these vital school staff members, we also support the school community as a whole. Since September 2023 my department has been providing a payroll service for former grant funded school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 389 and 390 together. 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 primary staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year are set out in Circular 0011/2025. The staffing schedule operates...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (1 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 600 post-primary school pupils plus accommodation for students with special educational needs. Planning Permission for the project was granted in May 2024, following an appeal to An...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy, that the decision-making authority for any change of status, including amalgamation, is the patron/trustees of the school concerned and it is open to any patron to submit proposals to the Department for consideration. Any proposed change involves extensive consultation at local level and must be well planned and managed in a manner that accommodates the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Amalgamation (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy, that the decision-making authority for any change of status, including amalgamations, is the patron/trustees of the school concerned and it is open to any patron to submit proposals to the Department for consideration. Any proposed change involves extensive consultation at local level and must be well planned and managed in a manner that accommodates the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department is aware of the issues raised by the Deputy in relation to the school project delivered. Department officials are liaising with the design team to resolve the issues and will be in contact with the school and their patron in due course when the information is available.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (1 Jul 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 are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can assure the Deputy it is an absolute priority that every child in the State has access to a school place and the Department of Education and Youth are continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools to ensure that this is the case. Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country, including over €1.5 billion...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (1 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: This project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB). The design team are currently finalising the tender stage. When this stage is concluded, and approved by the department, the project will progress to construction in due course. The current status of all projects is listed on a county by county basis at...