Results 5,541-5,560 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Maternity Hospital (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to reassure the Deputy. I set out my understanding in my original contribution to this House. In fact, I said that canon law plays no part in the new maternity hospital. I have said that on a number of occasions here, including my initial contribution, and I will say it again to the Deputy. The House can be assured that maternity and reproductive healthcare at the new...

Report on Commission on Pensions: Motion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I very much welcome the opportunity to note and discuss the response of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands to the report of the pensions commission. I note Deputy Naughten's work as Chair and the work of other members. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, sends her apologies. She cannot be here this evening as she...

Report on Commission on Pensions: Motion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I have listened to the debate on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, who is unavailable this evening. I assure each Deputy who has contributed that I will bring their comments to the attention of the Minister. A number of issues have been raised and I will take them all back to her. The State pension is the bedrock of the pension system in Ireland and is extremely effective in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2022)

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. The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs.  Such...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Cathaoirleach and the committee for the invitation to attend. I am accompanied, as he said, by Ms Mannion, assistant secretary general for special education and inclusion, and Mr. Ward, principal officer of the special education section. The topic before the committee is aligning education with the UNCRPD and, in particular, a focus on the progress being made on aligning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Senator for his comments, as well as for his acknowledgement of the progress that has been achieved to date. On the special classes, I have been acutely aware of this since I came into this role as the very first Minister of State with responsibility for special education. This is really about a collaborative effort with schools via the Department. The Senator will be aware,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Deputy has a number of different questions and I will try to deal with them as best as I can. First, around the progressing disability model, the Deputy is quite correct that it is under the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte’s, remit. Obviously, I keep a close eye on it because it has a direct effect on my remit. It is being implemented by the HSE and existing therapy resources...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Around expulsion, the team of the NCSE, National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, the inspector and the Department work with officials and schools that have expelled or suspended students. It happens, but rarely. It is regrettable when it happens at all. Obviously, one wants to keep a child in school if at all possible. However, sometimes that is just not possible. Again, it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I can follow that up with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte and see what the position is. In June, she provided an additional 85 therapy posts to be employed within the closest proximity of special schools. I can discuss that further with her and see what the position is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Unfortunately, I missed the UCD conferring because I had Covid and I would have been there otherwise. They had five modules over ten months. There is going to be an intake of 3,500 over three years, which is incredible and it is at no cost, being funded by the Department. It is something the NCSE had given advice on in 2018 so that SNAs would receive this training, which is vital. On...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy. Yes, I was surprised myself when this transpired and other Deputies contacted me in this regard as well. I want to be clear that the national policy is not to phase them out at all. I can say that from my perspective. Sometimes they are transformed into special classes for mainstream. I am, however, committed to early intervention. We have more special classes now....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The piece about transition from primary to post-primary school is obviously critical. One of the challenges, as the Deputy mentioned, is when people move and we are not aware of that, particularly in the context of getting a special class specifically. If a family moves all of a sudden, it can be difficult. One of the things the Department has been doing in the past couple of years is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: An additional 1,165 SNAs were allocated in the budget. They came on stream since January 2022 and will be allocated during the year. Sometimes what happens is that a school has an allocation of SNAs and then it may get new children with additional needs in and, therefore, it has a requirement that may not have been anticipated at the beginning. The NCSE has a criteria that it takes into...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I was simply reiterating what the law is and that is not to say we do not endeavour, because we do endeavour. It can prove really difficult and challenging. We can see that. I am not the Department myself but the Department is ad idem in what I say with regard to us trying to secure a special school place for a child in his or her own locality, neighbourhood and community. We try to do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Senator. There are a number of different queries there. On St. Colmcille National School, the Senator may be aware that I did meet with the school and with the principal outside Dáil Éireann. The school has four early intervention classes and they have made it clear privately and publicly that they want more SNAs. I met them on 16 February. They were also going to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: They are in existence. The majority of classes are for children with autism but many of them are not. The most important step to take in the case mentioned by the Senator is for the parents to speak directly to the special education needs organiser because the SENO will know where there are special classes available. That is probably the best thing to do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Deputy is certainly not raising it for favouritism. It is about providing an appropriate education for Emma. I thank the Deputy for bringing it to my attention today. I presume those are Karen's words and I can hear the frustration and the hurt to a certain extent in those words. This is the first time I have heard about this case but I will certainly look into it. The Deputy can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I appreciate it. I would rather know about instances than not because then I can bring them to the attention of the National Council for Special Education. I do not - the Department does not either nor does anybody in the National Council for Special Education - want to see any child in a situation where he or she is not receiving the education that he or she should be receiving. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I might work backwards from the Chairman's comments. The first thing that the National Council for Special Education will endeavour to do is to find a special class place, a special school place or, indeed, a mainstream place for a child. Ideally, it would be, as I stated earlier, in the community or locality where that child lives, but that is not always possible. As I mentioned, we have...