Results 3,061-3,080 of 6,188 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (13 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 237. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the positive factors which led to the choosing of a company (details supplied) to supply the leaving certificate calculated grading model; and if there was work of a similar purpose, or with a similar level and skill required, undertaken by the company previously. [29833/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (13 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 238. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of oversight applied over the calculated grading formula; if all previous testing was replicated after it was amended to remove any aspect of school profiling in the days before the results were released. [29834/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (13 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 239. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the bonus for completing leaving certificate exams through Irish was taken into consideration when the algorithm was being applied to give calculated grades to students from Gaelscoileanna; and if these students received the bonus for 2020. [29838/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (13 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 244. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the progression of the building of a secondary school in Ballincollig, County Cork. [29905/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (13 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 270. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which the results of the leaving certificate calculated grading appeals will be known. [30169/20]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 410. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the policy on the wearing of face masks by prison officers while on duty in prisons; if the policy is in line with national public health guidance; if compliance with the policy is monitored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30170/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (13 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 542. To ask the Minister for Health the reason there is no Covid-19 testing centre on the southside of Cork city in view of its large population and level three restrictions; and his plans to set up a testing centre in this area [30218/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 1. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the significant inequalities in pay, conditions and pension and other entitlements facing many school secretaries. [30312/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Tá ról ríthábhachtach ag rúnaithe scoile i gcomhthéacs feidhmiú na scoileanna. School secretaries are the backbone of a school. They keep them going, doing a number of jobs. They do not want to be in this situation where they are looking at industrial action, but that is the situation they are in, and one which has dragged on for too long. We heard from...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The work school secretaries did was crucial in getting schools open, and they are playing an enormous role in keeping schools open. We all know from our school communities about the diverse work they do - for example, they take care of a child who is hurt, they deal with queries from parents, they organise the menu choices of a child for school lunches and so on - but, to be honest, they...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The school secretaries have had plenty of acknowledgement. However, it is not acknowledgement that they are looking for - it is pay equality, decent pay, pension entitlements and improved conditions. They want to return to the WRC, and I believe that they are willing to do so. However, that must be on the basis of addressing the real issues they face. It is not enough to go into the WRC...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 3. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of clear guidelines on when and the manner in which children with special educational needs can integrate within mainstream classes during the school day and the way in which that will be managed. [30313/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: An issue seems to be arising in schools across the State whereby families are being told either to choose between the unit and the mainstream if their children are in an autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit. I understand that this is not required or appropriate. It is happening in the absence of guidance. There is limited guidance provided, amounting to four lines in the roadmap. Will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am glad to hear it is the Minister of State's firm belief that children with special educational needs should not be denied the opportunity to be part of the mainstream class and to have the associated interaction. My concern is not that it is the Department's intention that it should be otherwise; it is that what I describe is happening. Not every parent is necessarily willing to bring...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: It is welcome there is a very clear message but it is certainly my experience that special education teachers in particular feel the guidelines are not adequately clear and that the NCSE needs to be more assertive. Yesterday's budget included provision for 1,000 special needs assistants, which I welcome, and it follows similar measures in the previous years. However, the manner of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 5. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for details of the guidance for those at high risk; if schoolchildren who have medically vulnerable parents will be facilitated with remote learning; and if she will revise the Medmark process for high-risk school staff. [30314/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I read last week's guidance on remote learning. There were some issues with it, including the heavy reliance on special educational teachers. I was especially disappointed that the document continued to ignore any facilitation for children and staff who have high-risk parents at home and cannot attend school as a result. These parents have been asking for guidance for months. Some schools...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: When I raised this with the Minister previously many of these parents were anxious. Part of the difficulty here relates to how broad the high-risk category is. The very high-risk category is extreme and specific and obviously there are particular provisions for that category, but the high-risk category seems to take in everything from mild asthma to leukaemia. Many parents are highly...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That brings me on to the latter part of my question relating to Medmark. There is increasing anxiety among school staff. I have raised with the Minister previously the fact that I believe there is a need for greater leadership and communication on the situation in schools. Schools may be relatively low-risk environments and children may be less likely to transmit the infection, but they...

Other Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: This is an issue that is arising throughout the State with schools that are just narrowly missing out on the school census. These circumstances change. Some are related to Covid-19, like Glasheen school near me, where many of the parents may work in hospitals and universities, who may perhaps be international and who may not be there next year. Many such schools have lost out. They may be...