Results 181-200 of 7,314 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Education for Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Okay. That is very useful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Education for Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: In fairness, I think there is a particular focus on this committee. Mr. Clerkin has 40 seconds.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Education for Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I will probably speak on the same lines. On the new allocation of special classes for 2025-26, I think just over 1% and 2.3% of special classes are allocated for children with mild and moderate general learning disabilities. Is that discrepancy the same issue? Is it connected with the 2024 circular? Is there a move away from providing those specific types of special classes? How does...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Education for Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: For example, children are presenting now with a recommendation for a mild general learning disability special class. However, the SENOs will say they do not provide them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Education for Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I have to say I am hearing very different things. I am hearing there is a cohort of children falling through the cracks. They are being lost in the system because we do not have disaggregated information. In the first session, parents of these children said they are not being listened to by the National Council for Special Education. The EPSEN review published yesterday, which is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Education for Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a big difference between not being perfect and 25% saying it is very unhelpful. I am making this point respectfully. As a public representative and spokesperson for education, I am hearing from parents that the system is not providing for their children and is not listening to their concerns. It does not hear them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Education for Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I think the NCSE has a lot of work to do.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 273. To ask the Minister for Health that considering 31% of patients from an NAI survey reported waiting times of one to two years to see a neurologist, the measures she is taking to increase capacity and reduce waiting times; and the number of consultant neurologists there were in 2024 and to date in 2025. [36613/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 274. To ask the Minister for Health the number of people who have not been able to access community neurorehabilitation services over the past 12 months. [36614/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 275. To ask the Minister for Health the number of neurology nurse specialists in place; and the number by which she is going to increase this. [36615/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (2 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 276. To ask the Minister for Health if she will commit to funding an additional 25 specialist inpatient neurorehabilitation beds for the Dublin-midlands region; and if she will commit to funding an additional 20 impatient neurorehabilitation beds for the HSE south-west region. [36616/25]

Review of Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004: Statements (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the review and the review process. I welcome the publication of the report and the comments of the Minister and Minister of State. I have to say the proof of the pudding will be in the eating and I come to this with something of a jaundiced and critical eye. I accept there is evolution in thinking, in processes and in language but it has fundamentally always been obvious what is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Census of Population (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: It is really important that when we have CSO information, we use it to plan for services in areas. I look at my own county of Meath, which has the lowest number of mental health beds, the lowest number of GPs and the lowest number of gardaí per population; has some of the largest class sizes in the State; and has the lowest number of playgrounds per population. The issue of GPs has...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: It is scandalous that, every year, schools are forced to rely on so-called voluntary contributions from parents to plug funding gaps due to the Government's failure to provide proper investment. Parents already pay €54 million in contributions and now, as the funding crisis in schools escalates, it looks like they will be asked to pay even more. The Catholic Primary School Management...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 26. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps he is taking to ensure affordable housing is delivered in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35256/25]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 87. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update on the homes in County Meath seeking inclusion in the defective concrete blocks grant scheme; the number of properties being assessed; the timeline for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35374/25]

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

Darren O'Rourke: 345. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if applications or the possibility to sign a fixed-term contract in a school is possible in the hope that the time-bound provision is open by September 2025 for teachers. [35364/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 349. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will increase investment and expand special schools and classes catering for children with mild general learning disabilities. [35423/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 350. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse any decision made to send children with mild general learning disabilities back into mainstream classes-schools. [35424/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 351. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse the redesignation of special classes, which will place children with mild general learning disabilities back into mainstream classes. [35425/25]