Results 1-20 of 15,062 for speaker:Helen McEntee

Parental Choice in Education: Motion [Private Members] (8 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dail Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — the Government recognises the importance of parental choice; and — the Government is committed to seeking to increase choice for parents by ensuring that families can access both multi/non-denominational and faith-based education, in line with the Programme...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. About 172,000 young people access the school transport scheme. Many of those are children with additional needs. The programme for Government sets out very clearly that we will expand the scheme even further. There is no set timeline, and the expansion has to be done across the lifetime of the current Government, but we have set a very clear...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I thank the Deputy for raising this. I join with her in commending the fabulous work by our secretaries and caretakers in our schools. I had the opportunity last week to meet many of them at the Fórsa conference as part of the overall Easter conferences. We have made a lot of progress, notably in changing the way our secretaries are paid so they are now paid through the Department of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is saving lives.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: It is saving lives.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: On 22 April I announced changes to the Junior Cycle grade bands for students in 2025 and future years, adjusting the top four grade bands to become evenly distributed. This will have a positive impact on students, ensuring their grades are more reflective of their work and effort, as well as of the work of our teachers. In making this change, it is considered critically important that...

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

Helen McEntee: Under the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools have admissions policies which have been developed following consultation with the school community including parents of students attending school and staff of the school, and which have been approved by the patron. All schools must publish their admissions policy on the school's website. The admissions...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: All open competitions are administered by Public Jobs, the Department of Education has no oversight of their panels and is therefore unable to answer this question. It would be more suitable being referred with the relevant information to Public Jobs. The candidate can reach Public Jobs through their messages Portal.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Schemes (1 May 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 and Training Boards (1 May 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: School Funding (1 May 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Boards (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: All open competitions are administered by Public Jobs, the Department of Education has no oversight of their panels and is therefore unable to answer this question. It would be more suitable being referred with the relevant information to Public Jobs. The candidate can reach Public Jobs through their messages Portal.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Cleaners are valued members of our school communities who carry out work vital to the operation of our schools. There are a number of employment arrangements in place for school cleaners, including those caretakers who were employed under a limited scheme introduced by the government of the time in 1978/1979, which was discontinued in 1985, and cleaners employed in ETB schools whose terms...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: Sick Leave may be granted to a teacher who is unable to perform their duties when absent for the purpose of obtaining medical related services provided such appointments could not have been arranged outside of regular working hours or working days. The Public Service Sick Leave Scheme, which applies to teachers, is regulated by the Public Service Management (Sick Leave) Regulations 2014,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Inquiries (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT Programme. The ADAPT Programme uses a professional external Programme Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the design stages of architectural planning to Tender and Construction. The brief for this...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the deputy refers was approved a school building project under the Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for 1 Engineering Room with Prep Room, 1 Construction Prep/Store Area & 1 Home Economics Room. The project was devolved for delivery to the school authority. In the first quarter of 2023, department officials approved the project...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: The school to which the Deputy refers was granted funding under my department's 2021 Additional Schools (ASA) Scheme to provide one home economics room, one engineering room and preparation area, and one construction preparation/store area. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (1 May 2025)

Helen McEntee: I can confirm to the Deputy that my department is in receipt of a request for grant aid for a proposed land acquisition under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme from the school in question. I am pleased to confirm that approval was given under the Department's Modular Framework for two special education classrooms and six mainstream classrooms and this project was delivered...

Special Education: Motion [Private Members] (30 Apr 2025)

Helen McEntee: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that: — a child's right to education is enshrined in the Constitution and, under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, must be accessible on an equal basis with others in the community in which they live; and — the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (30 Apr 2025)

Helen McEntee: Tackling educational disadvantage and supporting students to fulfil their full potential in life is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth and for the Government. The DEIS Programme is a key policy of Government to tackle concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. The DEIS programme provides a targeted range of supports and is additional to the universal...