Results 1,421-1,440 of 15,342 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding for mainstream accommodation under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I acknowledge how important this school project is, not just for the Deputy but also for the wider community. The school capital projects overall entail a significant plan that we hope to see expanded in the years to come. The projects are well advanced but I want to ensure they can progress as quickly as possible. I look forward to working with the Deputy and, indeed, the school he has...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Staff (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 404 and 527 together. Delivering a successful Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) from July to December 2026 requires extensive preparatory work and significant resources. An important element of this is to ensure that there are sufficient staffing resources in place, both in Dublin and in Brussels at the Permanent Representation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Accommodation (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers submitted applications for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for roof works and fabric defect works. The application regarding roof works was refused on the basis that the school in question was asked to provide further information illustrating evidence of leaks. This information has not been provided as of yet. If the school can provide...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Weather Events (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The decision to close a school in response to a severe weather event is a matter for individual school management authorities around the country, taking into consideration the full guidance and direction available from the principal response agencies, especially the local authority. Individual school management authorities are best placed to do this in light of local weather conditions,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Accommodation (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The current position in respect of the joint major building project referred to by the Deputy is as follows; The major project for St. John Bosco Boys JNS, St. John Bosco SNS, and Mary Help of Christians GNS is currently at Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning - Developed Design - which is a crucial element of the architectural planning process as it is at this stage that the design is...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Admissions (5 Feb 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 Public Expenditure and Reform: Special Educational Needs (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I would like to thank Deputy Carthy for his question regarding my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) works with schools using a problem-solving model to help schools identify need and interventions to support those needs. Under this model, NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum-based assessment and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Education Policy (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision making authority for a change of status to coeducation is the patron/trustees of the schools, subject to the approval of my Department. Local consultation regarding potential change of status to coeducation is encouraged and supported by the Department but it is the responsibility of the patrons to undertake any consultation that they deem...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Transport (5 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 to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes over...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Staff (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Firstly, let me say that Caretakers are valued members of our school communities who carry out work vital to the operations of our schools. At present, the majority of primary and post-primary schools receive assistance to provide for caretaker services under ancillary grant funding. Under the February 2022 agreement the implementation of revised salary and annual leave entitlements for...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Accommodation (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter the department’s pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project will provide 3 General Classrooms, Science and Preparation area, Construction Room and Preparation area, Home Economic Room, Graphic Design Laboratory, Music Room, Project Store, 2 SET Rooms & Ancillary Rooms and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Teacher Training (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Education Support Centres (ESC) are independent bodies recognised under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998). This legislation states that “An education support centre shall have a management committee, to manage the business and staff of that centre. Decisions about how to run the centre to achieve the best teacher professional learning (TPL) opportunities for all teachers in...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Staff (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The Department of Education has been providing a payroll service for former grant funded school secretaries with effect from 1st September 2023. The provision of this payroll service is part of a package agreed with Fórsa, the trade union representing school secretaries, following a series of engagements at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in 2022. The secretaries had previously...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Schools Building Projects (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 and 422 together. Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.7 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Facilities (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm that my Department has recently approved the surrender of our lease interest on the property in question. My Department is currently preparing an instruction to our legal representatives to progress the legal formalities relating to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Schools Building Projects (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.7 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Accommodation (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: The large scale capital project for the provision of a new 600 pupil school and ancillary accommodation is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. The remaining Stages are Stage 4 - in Construction, and Stage 5 - Handover and Final Account. A new grant of planning was received in December 2023, with a number of conditions attached. The design team are examining...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Transport (5 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...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: School Funding (5 Feb 2025)

Helen McEntee: I propose to take Questions Nos. 426 and 439 together. Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998 the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and the principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school, including arrangements for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. While the decision to become involved in organised...