Results 1,221-1,240 of 15,342 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is vital that we provide many forms of transport for people through public and private operators, through buses, the Luas, BusConnects and as many different ways as possible, including the expansion of our rail lines. I am not familiar with the specific route mentioned by the Deputy, but similar to the question from Deputy Devlin, I will endeavour to ask our Minister to see if there is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: This Government has been very clear in stating that we need to invest more in our water system and that we need to do more to make sure towns, communities or villages which do not have access to the quality of water that they should get investment first and foremost. We must also ensure that sites are opened up and that in the delivery of housing in particular we have the investment and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I will respond to both points. In relation to the storm, a committee has already been established on a permanent basis to make sure all Departments and relevant agencies are prepared should something like this happen again. As I have said, the likelihood of that is quite high. What is Uisce Éireann doing? It is purchasing more generators and making sure sites are generator-ready. It...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I acknowledge the absolute devastation that was caused by this explosion. I met with the families because I wanted to hear from them. I wanted to meet them because I want to make sure they get the answers they are entitled to and they deserve. The number one objective here is that families get answers to the questions they have asked, as they are entitled to. We also want to make sure...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. Similar to the delivery of our education system, the delivery of healthcare in this country can only happen with the support of fantastic people: from our consultants to our GPs to our nurses to our clinicians right across the system. That is why over recent years we have continued to significantly invest not just in our built...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is absolutely the case that the HSE must, will and will always work within the relevant framework. That is absolutely the case. It is what we expect from the HSE and what we expect from those working in our public sector. Where issues and challenges arise, there are very clear frameworks and structures that must be adhered to and mechanisms which can be put in place to resolve any...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: For the second time, I will repeat it for the people in the back who may not have heard my response to all Deputy Doherty's three questions. The Deputy might repeat what I have actually said over the past number of years. There are absolutely problems in our city centre and in every part of our country that we need to address. By addressing those, we can ensure every person is safe and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising an important issue. I said when I was appointed to this role that my number one objective and goal was to make sure every young person - irrespective of their background, where they come from or what school they go to - is supported, and that our teachers are resourced and supported to help them achieve their full ability. That is my number one goal and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I do and always will engage with our teachers because they are the only way this will happen and they provide our young people with the fantastic education they get. We have spent over €6 billion on capital projects since the beginning of 2020. I have said clearly to the unions that we will invest more, whether in science labs or in making sure more training is provided. I have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. At the outset I offer my sincere condolences to the young man who was brutally stabbed at the weekend. I must make it clear, and An Garda Síochána has made it very clear in its actions to date, that whoever is responsible for this will be held accountable and will be brought to justice. I acknowledge also the serious incident that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Budgets (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: NDP allocations and outturns (including supplementary funding) for the years 2020 to 2024. 2020 (€m) 2021 (€m) 2022 (€m) 2023 (€m) 2024 (€m) Allocation(including Supplementary Estimate) 925 940.4 1,092 1,265 1,457 Outturn ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: EU Funding (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has received direct EU funding for the following current and capital works projects in 2024 and the percentage of the funding that was actually covered by the EU in each of those projects is also documented: Project Description Project Type 2024 Funding Percentage by EU EU contribution to The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department is in the process of arranging interim accommodation for the school referred to by the Deputy in order to facilitate the school's immediate requirements pending delivery of their major building project. My officials are aware of the urgency associated with this accommodation and are working closely with the school authority and its design team to ensure the project is expedited....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. 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 situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016. As set out in the Schedule of the Regulations, the Council registers teachers under five routes of registration: Route 1 - Primary, Route 2 - Post-primary, Route 3 - Further Education, Route 4 - Other and Route 5 - Student Teacher. The minimum...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter the department’s pipeline for a project under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project will provide four mainstream classrooms, eight SET rooms and a four classroom Special Education Needs (SEN) base. The project was devolved for delivery to the school authority. As a result of a Stage...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department of Education’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, and 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). These circulars provide for the award of incremental...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Capitation Grants (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The 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: Departmental Funding (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: My Department’s voted estimate for capital and current expenditure for 2025 stands at €11.9 Billion. This represents an increase of over €3.2 Billion or 36% since 2020 and includes €7.6 billion for pay related expenditure. Budget 2025 provides an increase of €712 million in core current funding to my Department's Vote, as well as over €360 million in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (20 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, over 172,500 children, are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes daily to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes...