Results 4,561-4,580 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Deputy Ó Laoghaire might be aware that approximately 1.5% of children internationally have special education needs, SEN. It is the same in Ireland. They are the children with the most complex needs. Approximately 8,500 children with special education needs, SEN, are in primary school and approximately 4,500 of those are back. Approximately 4,000 who are in third to sixth class are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The Senator asked about the summer provision. Approximately 14,000 took up summer provision last summer. It was expanded to Down's syndrome children, post primary and preschool. Work is ongoing for this summer and we are looking to expand it further. I am working with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, on the other matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: There will not be any neglect of other children with special needs who are back in school. Obviously, we have to trust schools to best manage their special educational teaching resources. In the budget, we got 235 extra new teachers for special classes, 23 special school teachers and 145 special education teachers. There are now 18,000 special needs assistants. There are enough resources...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I appreciate what the Deputy is saying. Obviously, children with special needs were always a concern for the Government. That is why special schools originally went back on 11 February to 50% capacity. They are now, thankfully, at 100% capacity since Monday. Special classes have been back since 22 February and, as the Deputy knows, so too have junior infants up to second class. There are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I have spoken to Deputy O'Sullivan about this issue before. He is aware that several meetings took place last autumn between the Department, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, the school management and the Cope Foundation, which is a patron of Scoil Aislinn special school located on the Boreenmanna Road in Ballintemple, Cork. Those meetings explored the possibility of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for his questions. I share his concern about the possibility of regression for children with special needs. Fortunately, children in special schools and special classes are now back full time, as well as junior infants up to second class. On 15 March, the other classes will also be back. Regarding the supplementary programme, it is a voluntary scheme that is open to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Chairman for facilitating the meeting today and inviting us to partake. I thank all members of the committee for their invaluable contributions, which also help us as Ministers in developing policy and ensuring we are on the right track on everything.

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Táim buíoch as ucht an deis labhairt faoi chúrsaí oideachais speisialta. Táim ag súil go mór le ceisteanna na Baill. We are one year on from the arrival of Covid-19 in Ireland. The past 12 months have been unexpected, challenging and unprecedented for all parts of our society. I do not have to tell anyone that. We see it every day and we hear the...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: On the issue of children with SEN in mainstream education, it has always been our position that special education should be given priority in the reopening of schools. We know about the risks of regression for those who cannot engage in distance learning. We have said this repeatedly since the start of the year and this priority has not changed. The National Public Health Emergency Team,...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: No problem.

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: On ASD units in schools, I want to reassure Deputy Niamh Smyth that since 2011 we have increased the number of ASD units by 235%, from 548 in 2011 to 1,836. There are 197 new special classes in 2020-21, 189 of which are for ASD pupils. There are 12 early intervention classes. Some 113 of the new special classes are for primary schools and 64 are for post-primary schools. There will be...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for her questions. It had been planned that the front-loaded allocation model for SNAs would be rolled out to all schools from the commencement of the 2021 school year. Due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 crisis, including the closure of all school buildings in March 2020, it was decided that the introduction of the model would be deferred. This will allow time...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I would mention to Deputy Cathal Crowe that that is a HSE matter and I will pass it on to the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte. Obviously the supplementary provision is in place, the supplementary programme which will assist in terms of supports. I would say to Deputy Higgins that we have not under any circumstances turned our back on children with special needs. It has always been my...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: On early intervention, that matter is under the remit of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman. I can write to him about it. On SNAs in general, we now have 18,000. Their numbers have increased by 78% since 2007 and many children with additional needs simply cannot function at all without an SNA so it is very important they are supported...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: To clarify, I obviously cannot comment on an individual case but I will write to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and bring it to his attention on the Deputy's behalf.

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Deputy Andrews made a number of assertions and 23 seconds is not a lot of time in which to try to respond to everything. I take umbrage at the statement that we or the Department do not care about children with additional needs, because that is far from the truth. In recognition of that, for the very first time this Government has appointed a dedicated Minister with responsibility for...

Reopening Schools and Leaving Certificate Examinations: Statements (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Regarding the July provision, we are working on an enhanced programme for this year. We are obviously very concerned about the regression of children with special needs. Last year, some 24,000 children were eligible for the programme and about 14,000 actually partook. We hope this year to expand the programme even more, including the time allowed and also by expanding the categories of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in helping to ensure the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in school life. This was acknowledged in the Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme (SNAs) published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018. The Review made a number of recommendations regarding SNAs and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The supplementary programme is intended to supplement the teaching and learning provided by the student’s school and alleviate the impact of this period of school closure through the provision of 5 hours per week in-person teaching or care support to be delivered in homes. The programme must be delivered outside of the normal school day (i.e. evenings and weekends), so that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Administration (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The supplementary programme is intended to supplement the teaching and learning provided by the student’s school and alleviate the impact of this period of school closure through the provision of 5 hours per week in-person teaching or care support to be delivered in homes. The programme must be delivered outside of the normal school day (i.e. evenings and weekends), so that the...