Results 1,421-1,440 of 9,532 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: It is part of the workforce planning and I will come back to Senator Carrigy on it. I will get more detail and a better answer for him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will start with the issue of reform. I know we are firefighting here regarding the upcoming school year and I do not want us to be in this position again. Part of how we do that is through building the capacity of the NCSE and addressing the limitations in its resources. That is why, as I said, we are increasing the number of SENOs, reducing the administrative burden on them and reducing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: For primary, yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: That is what the NSCE told my officials today. Parents will apply to numerous schools, and we all understand the reason for that. That is right across the board, so there will be a bit of flux in those figures. To answer the Senator’s question, the NCSE will be in contact with the parents and will update them weekly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: They are all in Dublin 15.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: When places become available, the NCSE receives that information. For example, the NSCE will have information about primary schools in Dublin 15, that there is a demand for 12 places and that 15 places that are available. Of those 15 places - I will speak in general terms - let us say that ten, for example, could be already allocated within the school. Children in the school may need that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will add to that. That is just today's update. There is movement on this daily so there will be more places. What the NCSE has said to me is the capacity is there to accommodate the children it is aware of. I know many of those parents have contacted the NCSE but if there are parents who have not, they should make the NCSE aware of any other children who may require a school place....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: That is why I want to streamline the process, so the process does not take this long. The NCSE is engaging with the schools to try and bottom-out that exact question. The Deputy is asking-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I am telling the Deputy. That is what the NCSE is doing at the moment, every day, with schools in this particular area to try to determine what spaces are available. Some of the classes are just sanctioned and the schools need to work through the admissions process now. There is an admissions process in schools and they have to work through that admissions process. That is what the NCSE...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: That is exactly the reason I put the 44 therapists that were allocated to the NCSE on a permanent footing. They were not being hired because they had temporary contracts and that is exactly what they will be doing - going in, working with the teachers and collaborating with them. All the evidence points to a reduction in the need for additional supports in these schools, and better learning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Coming from my own teaching background, it is up to the board of management and the principal when they are hiring. You have the best interests of the child at heart in making sure you are putting the right expertise in, and making sure that training is provided for teachers where required.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Mr. Brendan Doody might come in on this. There is probably more happening in this space.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Senator.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will let Mr. McLoughlin respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Cathaoirleach can send us the details privately.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Deputy has just encompassed what others have said about not being in this position in the run-up to September and October, the new school year, by having advance notice of a year or two. Senator Currie spoke earlier about parents who knew the children who are coming through to school in the next year or two. I have met parents who want to plan now for their child starting primary school...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: It is the forward planning.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Cathaoirleach asked about co-location of special schools with mainstream schools. We have examples of special schools being located on the same site as mainstream schools. This facilitates integration and inclusion of all students. Templeogue College and Libermann Spiritan School are examples.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Spiritans, yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy. He mentioned the EPSEN Act. There was a huge amount of feedback on the review I mentioned with 28,000 submissions. We hope to finalise that before the end of the year. We are currently bringing all of the consultation material together so that will be finalised by the end of the year. The Deputy also mentioned the Joint Committee on Autism report. I attended the...