Results 5,681-5,700 of 5,979 for speaker:Michael Moynihan

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Admissions (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: In respect of special classes and the huge issue of provision, the Government is totally committed to the provision of special classes and special needs places to allow children to grow to their full potential. Almost 400 special classes have been sanctioned for this year. Of these, 287 are at primary level and 112 are at post-primary level. In April of this year, the Department wrote...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Admissions (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: There are a couple of things there. We understand the challenges that are ahead of us in terms of post-primary education because of the information we have at primary level. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, and myself are acutely aware of it and are working extremely hard on it. One of the things we agreed very early on was to bring back the date from 1 February to 1 October to give better...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Admissions (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: On the therapists within the schools, that is being rolled out from September into the special schools. The plan is for the special schools in the first instance and then on to the special classes. They will be great enablers to provide the best possible outcomes for children with additional needs throughout the education system. An awful lot of work has gone into it over the last while....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bus Services (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The school transport scheme is a demand led scheme based on the number of children who apply. The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and directly recruited drivers, and private contractors who recruit their own drivers to operate on the scheme. As part of the operation of the scheme, Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have advised my department that all schools were advised on the 6 June of any change to their SNA allocations for the 2025/26 school year. If a school feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 Jun 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. The NCSE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have advised my department that all schools were advised on the 6 June of any change to their SNA allocations for the 2025/26 school year. If a school feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jun 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.? In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: As you are aware, the School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. In the current school year over 173,000 children are transported daily in approximately 8,200 vehicles across 10,600 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The retirement age for school bus drivers has been set...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education sand Youth. In the current school year over 173,000 children, are transported daily in approximately 8,200 vehicles across 10,600 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. Applications for the 2025/2026 school year closed for payment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I know the central role that our SNAs play in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential. That is why the number of SNAs available for allocation has continued to increase annually resulting in more SNAs than ever now being employed in our schools. Budget 2025...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The Government are fully committed to ensuring that every child with special educational needs is supported to achieve their full potential. 399 new special class have been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year - of these 112 are at post-primary level. These new special classes were announced earlier this year than in previous years and will add to the existing 997 post primary special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). By the end of the year there will be close to 21,000 special educational teachers and over 23,000 special needs assistants (SNAs) in our mainstream classes, special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: As you are aware five new special schools will be established for the next school year, two in County Dublin and one each in counties Cork, Monaghan and Tipperary. This will bring to 129 the number of NCSE supported special schools in the country. The new special schools will operate under the patronage of their local Education and Training Board (ETB). Dedicated working groups are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. The school referred to by the Deputy is currently located in interim accommodation on a school campus site in Citywest, Dublin. Bus transport has been provided for the school to this location by the Planning and Building Unit. This is a private arrangement...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. It is important to remember that the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport 2030 report was published in early 2024 following a comprehensive analysis and review of the scheme as it currently operates. The recommended changes to the future operation of the schemes include expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the best value for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The school transport scheme is a demand led scheme based on the number of children who apply. The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and directly recruited drivers, and private contractors who recruit their own drivers to operate on the scheme. As part of the operation of the scheme, Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 174 together. Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). It is my department’s policy, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport 2030 report was published in early 2024 following a comprehensive analysis and review of the scheme as it currently operates. The recommended changes to the future operation of the schemes include expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the best value for...