Results 5,941-5,960 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) employs Educational Welfare Officers throughout the country to provide support, guidance and advice to all schools and parents with regard to school attendance issues. All referrals to TESS are screened and prioritised for intervention by an Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). While referrals are primarily received from schools, parents and other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (21 Jun 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 support is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Management (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion. This 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. This 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. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (21 Jun 2022)

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

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.  This 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.  The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Reviews (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I can confirm for the Deputy that responsibility for the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Education Needs Act, 2004 (EPSEN) falls within my Department's remit, whereas responsibility for the implementation of the Disability Act 2005 is under the remit of my colleagues, The Minister for Health, and the Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (22 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Deputy Whitmore for raising this important topic, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I advise that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport but it is the National Transport Authority that has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (22 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: As the Deputy has pointed out and appreciates, I am not the line Minister for this matter. Nevertheless I have taken into account some of the Deputy's contribution, particularly that there are 30 Local Link services but in essence, they work out at one bus per week. With regard to the composition of a settlement I wonder whether it is based on population, which may not take Brittas Bay into...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (22 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. As he knows, it is something of which I am acutely aware. I have had numerous conversations with families whose children want to attend Gaelscoil Laighean. As we know, we want a permanent building to be provided as soon as possible on the Mount Anville site. I understand the Department lodged a planning application with Dún...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (22 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Senator has made his views known quite clearly. As a parent, I know how difficult it must be not having clarity. We want clarity as soon as possible. I agree with his sentiments around Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.In that case, at least the parents can be told one way or the other where their children will attend in advance of September so that they can make the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: It is very important for me, as Minister for State with responsibility for special education and inclusion, that I support children with additional needs in any way I can. I have a budget of €2 billion, which is more than 25% of the entire education budget and an unprecedented amount. It has grown by 60% since 2011. Due to that, we have been able to put in place many more special...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Senator Flynn. The Department is working closely with stakeholders and the advocacy groups she mentioned to ensure that children with special educational needs can access educational places appropriate to their needs. My Department and I are listening really closely to the voice of parents and those representing children with disabilities. That is essential to ensure that what we...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Authorities (22 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Senators Kyne and Dolan. At the outset, the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, has informed me that both Senators have been in constant contact with him about this issue and secured a package last year through their work, and that he will work closely with them again over the coming period of time. The local property tax, LPT, as we know was introduced to provide a stable and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Local Authorities (22 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I note what the Senators have said about Galway being the seventh-largest centre of population and the comments around FEMPI and core funding, which are important. I acknowledge that Galway County Council moved to increase commercial rates for 2022 to increase the level of funding available to the council, which made an important contribution to the overall position. Of course, Senators are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the committee for the invitation to be here today. I am accompanied by Ms Martina Mannion, assistant secretary for special education and inclusion; Mr. Mark Bohan, principal officer, external staff relations; and Ms Andrina Donovan, assistant principal officer, special education section. The topic before the committee is the revised qualifications for special needs assistants. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for his comments. In terms of the allocation of SNAs generally, there was provision for an allocation of 1,165 in budget 2022. For the information of the Deputy and the committee, 623 of those SNAs have so far been allocated, with the balance of 542 to be allocated by the end of the year. That probably will be done through the exceptional review process and there will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: If I may, Chairman, I will answer Deputy Ó Laoghaire's question now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I will. It would be impossible to remember all the questions. I assure the Deputy that the review will be done this year. Although we are looking for a review of the SNA contract first, there is a separate ongoing discussion with UCD. We do not necessarily have to wait for agreement on the contract; there is a separate conversation going on with UCD around the minimum qualifications. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Revised Criteria for Qualifications of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Clearly, I would like it done as expeditiously as possible. It is my personal preference that there would be accreditation for SNAs. The role they play in our schools is extremely important and, in fact, children's additional needs simply would not survive without their assistance. To a certain extent, over the years they may have been undervalued and I want to change that, but there is a...