Results 4,241-4,260 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Ensuring that every child has a suitable school placement is a key objective of this Department. Significant resources are allocated each year to ensure that appropriate supports are available for children with special educational needs. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide; has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (3 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: There are published criteria in place for determining the staffing level of a school and these are outlined in circulars issued by my Department from time to time. Special schools may appoint an Administrative Deputy Principal on the basis of a teaching staff complement of Principal + 15 or more class teachers, as set out in Department Circular 0032/2019. The school referred to does not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I wish to advise the Deputy that Special Education Teachers support the mainstream class teacher by providing additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs, or additional learning needs, in schools. DES Circular 007/2019 for primary schools and 008/2019 for post primary schools set out the details of the model for allocating special education teachers to schools. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (3 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly, the question has been referred to the NCSE for direct reply. The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Special Educational Needs Staff (4 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) for allocation to schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by the end of December 2021. This allocation of SNAs is to meet the care needs of pupils in 2021 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support children in mainstream classes and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (10 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: There is an extensive range of supports and resources available to schools on the provision of an inclusive education for children with special educational needs. These are available to access on the websites of both my Department and the NCSE. The Deputy will also be aware of my belief that children with special needs should receive their education in placements which are appropriate to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (10 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is currently undertaking Policy Advice on Education Provision in Special Classes and Special Schools to examine whether placement in specialist settings brings about improved educational outcomes and experiences, relative to their ability, for students with special educational needs. This Policy Advice is to be completed and a report...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly, the question has been referred to the NCSE for direct reply. The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Regarding SNAs, the Deputy will be aware that on the reopening of the schools, we put in place €14.7 million. This was to facilitate the reappointment of an SNA where there was an absence. We are aware that the role of an SNA is critical in every school if children with special needs are to function in the school environment. It was vital that we ensured immediate replacement of...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I am aware of the Fórsa campaign in regard to the wearing of PPE. With the reopening of schools, we have provided €30 million for PPE. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre, HSPC, advice is very clear in regard to the wearing of face masks for SNAs. What it says is that, in the general course of events, a normal face mask will suffice, unless they are performing a task...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The Deputy is correct that ASD units are extremely important. Within the school building programme, there is obviously scope to provide special educational needs, SEN, classes, which we do. It is worth noting that, in 2011, there were only 548 special classes whereas, for the year 2019-20, there are a total of 1,618 special classes. I am aware of the fact autism in particular is growing...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: A number of meetings between the Department, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, Cork management and the Cope Foundation, which is the patron of Scoil Aislinn, a special school located on Boreenmanna Road, Ballintemple, Cork, have taken place to explore the expansion of Scoil Aislinn. The Deputy may be aware of that. That goes back to my point about working with existing...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: She is the principal, I am just the assistant.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Deputy Ó Ríordáin. To reiterate what I said to Deputy Ó Laoghaire, the advice of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre on the wearing of masks by special needs assistants was issued to schools on 9 October. It states that if an SNA is within 2 m of a child and meeting intimate needs such as washing the child, the face covering used should be a surgical mask....

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Yes. Last June, the previous Minister for Education and Skills wrote to 39 different schools under section 37A of the Education Act 1998. We sent a second notice on 5 November. Not all of the schools are forthcoming. There are genuine spatial reasons that some cannot facilitate extra classes. The majority, between 20 and 25 of them, can facilitate special classes. We want to collaborate...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: A considerable amount of funding has been allocated to ensuring that we have enough ASD units. To me, resourcing is not the biggest concern. We will always be able to find the resources for this. The predictive model will be crucial in preventing a perennial dearth of places in special classes. Most of the Deputies here are parents. We know how difficult it is to look after children in...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Further Revised) (12 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Obviously schools can apply to the Department for additional capital funding if they want to expand the space within the school to provide special classes or to construct additional accommodation. There are exceptional circumstances where schools cannot facilitate special classes but funding is available. There is a working assumption within the Department that one child in five has a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to reassure the Deputy that ensuring that every child has a suitable school placement is an ongoing priority for my Department.  In this particular case, NCSE has confirmed that they are in ongoing contact with the parent. In the past week, NCSE has identified a number of options which includes confirmation of the availability of places in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: An application for Assistive Technology has been received and processed for the student in question.  The terms and conditions for the Assistive Technology Scheme are outlined in my Department's Circular 0010/2013 which is published. Under the Scheme, applications are made to the National Council for Special Education who process the application and make a recommendation to my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: There are no plans to expand Reading Schools at this time. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is currently undertaking Policy Advice on Education Provision in Special Classes and Special Schools to examine whether placement in specialist settings brings about improved educational outcomes and experiences, relative to their ability, for students with special educational...