Results 5,241-5,260 of 5,979 for speaker:Michael Moynihan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. Special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (2 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: My department invests over €180 million annually to provide additional supports to almost 1,200 schools in the DEIS programme which supports approximately 260,000 students. This programme is targeted at schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage. Schools that were included in the most recent expansion of the programme in 2022 were those with the highest levels of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (2 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: On 16 January 2024, The National Council for Special Education published its policy advice paper on special schools and classes entitled “An Inclusive education for an Inclusive society”. This follows a request in October 2018, by the then Minister for Education and Skills to advise on the educational provision for students in special schools and classes and to make...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (2 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 127 together. The primary responsibility for the education of all children, including those with special education need in our education system is the class or subject teacher. The Special Education Teacher allocations provide additional teaching support for students with special educational needs enrolled in mainstream classes in primary and post...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I wish to thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I also want to thank the NCSE and the ESRI for this comprehensive research document. I welcome its publication as it relates to an area that is a priority for this government. I note that it includes a number of recommendations and findings that are relevant to a number of different sections in my Department. These findings and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The development of the National Therapy Support Service is a standalone commitment in the programme for government and is a cross-department initiative. While the provision of clinical therapy supports to children is the responsibility of the HSE, it is this government’s ambition, and as outlined in the Programme for Government, to extend therapy supports within the education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. Of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Deputy for the question. This Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential, and the programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. Up to an additional 2,700 specialist places, made up of 400 new special classes for, on average, six children each, and 300 special school...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Deputy for the supplementary questions. I met a number of parents and have met with them over many years in respect of special educational needs. I know the stress they are under. I cannot overstate how hard the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I have worked over recent weeks to ensure we would have a place for every child in September. We are working extremely hard with the NCSE...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: There is absolutely no policy change in relation to SNAs. We have more SNAs working in the education system and more budgeted for the school year 2025-2026. I take this opportunity of acknowledging the enormous work the SNAs do in the entire school communities. The work they do in special education, the dedication they put into it and the connection they have with the children and families...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: No change.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I was in Kerry and visited a number of the special schools there in recent weeks. I visited Nano Nagle Special School in Listowel, St. Francis Special School in Beaufort and St. Ita's and St. Joseph's Primary and Post-Primary Special School in Tralee. These were very insightful visits and showed the tremendous work being done by principals,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Deputies for the questions. I turn first to the issue in north-east Kerry. I have no difficulty in taking the details from the Deputy and following through on the specific issues. On Deputy Gould's point, the NCSE has been looking at the number of pupils who have come forward. The closing date was in February. We are doing everything humanly possible to make sure there are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I will respond directly to Deputy Conway-Walsh with the details. On the issue in north-east Kerry, there have been extra SENOs put into the field since last September. My experience to date is that they have been working extremely well with families and school communities to ensure that the need is being addressed as locally as possible. There was a circular earlier in the year relating...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Deputy. The Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to reach their full potential. In the programme for Government, we have a number of commitments in that regard. Dedicated working groups have been established by the Department of Education to work through the details relating to the establishment of the five new special schools for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: First, I wish to reassure the Deputy that the Department and the design team within it, the NCSE and the local ETB will continue to review the accommodation options available to allow the special school to grow and expand. While it is initially for 18 students in the coming year, we want to ensure we have available space to meet the growing need that we anticipate within the Monaghan...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I met a number of the parents who were here last week. I know only full well the battle that all the families and parents are going through, not just from being a public representative but also from personal experience as well. I am fully aware of the challenges parents face daily with regard to special needs, particularly the battles around the country for special schools. I refer to a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Deputy for the question. I also thank him for the work he does in this sector and the support he has given me since I took up this role. I greatly appreciate it. The majority of children with special educational needs are supported by mainstream classroom teachers, special education teachers and SNAs to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children have more...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This will offer over 70 additional special school places in addition to the new capacity created in the new special school in north Cork.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (8 Apr 2025)

Michael Moynihan: In fairness, if the Deputy had listened to what I said, he would know that is not what I said.