Results 5,341-5,360 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 to 80, inclusive, together. The COVID Learning and Support Scheme (CLASS) has been put in place for the 2021/22 school year to help schools mitigate the adverse impacts of Covid-19 on pupil/student learning loss and wellbeing arising from the periods of school closures in 2020 and 2021. Under the programme, a block of additional teaching hours has been...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (9 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Senator for comprehensively setting out the status of the school building project for Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire, and her views. I am sure that she will appreciate that I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley, and I will convey the Senator's contribution to the Minister. The Senator will be aware of the fact that this project is included in the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (9 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I note the comments made by the Senator and I will relay them to the Minister. To be clear about the tender process, there is a target date to commence tendering for a main contractor by the end of quarter 1 of 2022. That will be over the next few months. I appreciate that there have been delays and I have outlined some of the reasons for the delays. Things need to progress at speed now....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government The State currently spends in excess of 25% of its annual education and training budget (€9.2 Billion) on making additional provision for children with special educational needs. This includes funding for a wide range of schemes and supports including special classes, special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government The State currently spends in excess of 25% of its annual education and training budget (€9.2 Billion) on making additional provision for children with special educational needs. This includes funding for a wide range of schemes and supports including special classes, special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (14 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The Deputy will be aware that in May 2021 I requested my Department to arrange for a review of the policy on reading classes and schools. The review will be informed by the Department's Inspectorate’s research and development work which facilitates thematic review of provision and practice in schools. The work will involve visits to a number of education settings for children with...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 403 and 404 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Under the Assistive Technology scheme, as set out in my Department’s Circular 0010/2013, funding is provided to schools towards the cost of computers and specialist equipment, which are required for educational purposes. All equipment provided under this scheme support children with more complex disabilities who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (14 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: In September 2018, the then Minister for Education and Skills requested the NCSE to advise on future educational provision for students in special schools and classes and to make recommendations on the provision required to enable them to achieve better outcomes. The NCSE strives to ensure that its policy advice is informed by robust and wide-ranging consultative and research processes....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (15 Dec 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (16 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: My Department provides for a range of supports for schools which have enrolled pupils with special educational needs, including pupils with dyscalculia, in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is a separate statutory agency, through its network of local Special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (16 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 403 and 404 together. Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. The State currently spends in excess of 25% of its annual education and training budget (€9.2 Billion) on making additional provision for children with special educational needs. This includes funding for a wide range of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (16 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.  The State currently spends in excess of 25% of its annual education and training budget (€9.2 Billion) on making additional provision for children with special educational needs. This includes funding for a wide range of schemes and supports...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (16 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.  Next year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing additional teaching and care supports for children with special educational needs.  This includes funding for a wide range of schemes and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (16 Dec 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (16 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Earlier this year, my Department announced the provision of a significantly expanded summer education programme for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a COVID-19 pandemic response. This resulted in the biggest ever uptake of the programme during the summer period with the overall number of schools...

Covid-19: Statements (Resumed) (16 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Deputy Collins for her contribution. I will be speaking very briefly about special education but I will bring her comments back to Minister, Deputy Donnelly. With regard to the TRIPS waiver, the Government has noted the decision made by the Seanad last night. There is ongoing engagement at a European level in that regard. I know the Tánaiste is also aware of it. I wish...

Covid-19: Statements (Resumed) (16 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: You cannot kill a bad thing. It is very positive that he is well and thank God for that. Deputy Ó Laoghaire, who was here earlier, also recovered from Covid-19, as did a number of other Senators and Deputies. None of us in this House, therefore, including staff, are immune to suffering the effects of Covid-19. We are all human beings at the end of day. I wish the Ceann Comhairle...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Deputy Pádraig O’Sullivan. I can follow that up with him if he has a specific issue around the recruitment of a bus escort. We want to make sure we have transport for children with additional needs and if it means additional recruitment needs to be done then we need to facilitate that. I can speak with the Deputy on that if he wants to email me about it.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary)
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Supplementary) (2 Dec 2021)

Josepha Madigan: On the banking of hours, a number of families criticised the arrangement last year where special education teachers, SETs, could be used to bank hours because they felt their children were not getting the support when they needed it. There is no withdrawal of provisions; it just means that SETs will be used for the purpose they should be used. SETs should not be used for substitution...