Results 3,161-3,180 of 6,188 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: It is very positive that additional ASD units are being opened in schools across the State. Undoubtedly, we need many more. The demand for units is constantly growing. However, my question focuses on the fact that while those units fulfil a very important role, they are not suitable for everyone. I am concerned that we are not building enough special schools and that there may be some...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I agree with every word of that response but the key part that we need to drill into is the part that says where it is assessed that it is not possible or suitable for a child to be educated in such a unit and that they have a greater or different need. Generally, that relates to special schools. There is concern among those involved in special schools and in units that there is resistance...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am aware of much of that. Some positive things are happening in the special education sphere in Cork albeit that it is coming from one of the lowest bases. It is in a very challenging place even compared with other parts of the country. The Minister of State mentioned greenfield sites. Some special schools are in buildings that are just not fit for purpose. They need a greenfield site...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 29. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria which the school-specific contact tracing teams will work off, including a clear outline of who will be identified as a close contact in the school setting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39972/20]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: As the Minister knows, Sinn Féin supports keeping the virus out of schools and safely keeping them open. This necessarily means swiftly dealing with Covid-19 cases as soon as they arise within schools. It is good to know that there are school-specific contact teams, but we need more clarity on the criteria by which they will work. A lot of school staff and students have been in touch...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am glad to see the Minister engage with this - other Ministers would have taken the attitude that it was nothing to do with them - but I would like to see her engage with it more. She will be very aware that one of the key trade unions in the sector has made this a point on which it is engaging with the Department and the HSE on potential industrial action, which is a very serious thing we...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Weekly meetings are valuable but there needs to be progress as well. One of the issues is communication. Part of this is the communication at a local level between the HSE and the schools. There are schools the Minister will know that have expressed frustration about that. In some instances it has worked perfectly and in other instances it has not worked so well, and I am sure she will be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have two questions concerning certain things that are happening at this time. The first relates to the new model for the allocation of special needs assistants. My experience is that where schools experience a sudden relative increase in the number of children with identified special needs in a classroom, the model is not responsive enough. It was previously the case that if a child with...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 34. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a high-risk SNA can work from home during the lockdown restrictions if the management team of a school agrees to same. [39977/20]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am not sure whether the Minister or the Minister of State will reply to this question. I have a specific case in mind, but it applies to the broad issue of school staff and high risk versus very high risk. As I have pointed out previously, very high risk is a very high threshold and many people who are severely immunocompromised with conditions such as leukemia and others are deemed high...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The same principles apply, so I will take whatever reply the Minister of State has.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will speak first about the case I have in mind, although anonymously with regard to the brass tacks. This SNA is high risk. I would deem the person to be very high risk in the ordinary meaning of the words, but the person has not met that threshold with Medmark Occupational Healthcare. The person's doctor, principal and the board of management agree that it is not safe for the person to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am glad the Minister of State referred to PPE. It is still my view that all SNAs should be provided with the medical-grade masks mentioned by the Minister of State. For the vast majority of SNAs, the instances in which they will be moving to within 2 m of children or outside it occur very frequently throughout the day. It is the easiest and most sensible thing to do. The problem with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 47. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a guarantee will be given that the intimate role of special needs assistants, SNAs, is acknowledged and that SNAs who require medical grade masks will be provided with same. [39976/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: DEIS Scheme (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 84. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if all DEIS band 1 schools will be included in the one-point reduction in the pupil teacher ratio promised in budget 2021. [39975/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration is being given to expanding choice in the 2021 leaving certificate exams further; if she is considering additional measures to mitigate the difficult preparation that these students have had in the run up to their leaving certificate; and when students can expect the contingency plan for leaving certificate 2021 to be released....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether many private bus operators are operating at 50% capacity on their school services in line with the recommendations of her Department; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this has come at a significant cost that has been passed on to parents; and if her Department will intervene to provide these private...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 408. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when parents can expect to receive payments under the school transport grant. [40026/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medical Aids and Appliances (1 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 763. To ask the Minister for Health the status of the release of the findings of the review of the FreeStyle Libre glucose monitoring system undertaken by his Department in 2019; and if he will consider extending the availability of the FreeStyle Libre to all persons with type 1 diabetes [40375/20]

Pay for Student Nurses and Midwives: Motion [Private Members] (2 Dec 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: If nurses could be paid in applause and lip service, they would be truly wealthy. The fact is that they cannot. Lip service and applause does not put food on the table, clothe a family or pay the rent. We can call them heroes and thank them for all the wonderful work they do. Unless progress is made on these issues, however, then they are entitled to feel aggrieved. The allowances...