Results 6,081-6,100 of 6,598 for speaker:Michael Moynihan

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: In recent years, there has been a new emphasis to make sure the NCSE is engaging with parents and families in order that the need of the child is best met. That is the encouraging aspect. Of course, we want to ensure that children's educational needs are met as close as possible to home. That is extremely important. Parents can send their children to a school of their choice. They have...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: -----and quite rightly so.

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The Department and the NCSE have been working very closely with families to try to ensure that we have a pathway to education for every student, that we meet the needs of the students head-on and that there is engagement with them. The number of children for whom we do not have a pathway or a place is in single figures. We have families who are looking for further or different educational...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: On the classes that are available, modular buildings are being put in place in a very small number of schools at present. I compliment the departmental officials and the school authorities on the work they have been doing. We have been given different dates for different schools, but the information we get each Friday shows that the dates are being pulled back better and that the work is...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The closing date last year for notification of the NCSE was 1 February. That was moved out another week or so because of Storm Éowyn. We have brought that date back to 1 October 2025 for parents to notify the NCSE of requirements for special educational needs into the 2026 school year. Our commitment is that we will have that planning done between now and Christmas. That work was...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Assessment of need obviously falls within the children and disability Ministry, but a huge amount of work is being done by the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley, and Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, at Government level to ensure that we are tackling the huge waiting list for assessments of need. The assessment of need is a highly important piece for any family and any child. Work...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: It is important that parents who believe that their children will need specialised school places, or special classes or a special school, are notified to the NCSE before 1 October. The commitment is that the Department and the NCSE will work with those families to try to ensure that we have the best possible place for people in September 2026.

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The AIM programme is within the Department of children and disability. On that piece of information not being shared with the Department of education, in respect of domiciliary care from the Department of Social Protection and AIMS from the Department of disability, we need a whole-of-government understanding of what the need is so that it is not just one particular arm of the Government...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I did meet with the group in March of this year in relation to its proposals. In the first instance, as regards all schools that are putting on or getting extensions at the moment, one of the main criteria we are looking at is their provision for special education and whether there is an increase in that regard. That is a given and a must within every school, whether a primary or...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We will re-engage with them but-----

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: -----not until I have the information together. When I have the information together, I will engage with the Deputy, Oireachtas Members and the group.

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I take the point on the three children the Deputy mentioned. When children have enrolled in a specific school, that need is documented right through to the Department and the NCSE. We try to make fast decisions about the supports to be put in place. I am well aware of a number of children in special classes or mainstream classes awaiting modular buildings being completed. We are working...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I take the point. There is a lot of work going on. I do not think there was a principal off during the month of August. Many principals and school authorities were engaging with us on a daily basis on the challenges they were facing. I compliment the school authorities because they are very serious people and they are very genuine about trying to ensure that they accommodate families and...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Some of the questions relate to the Department of children and disability but it is all a whole-of-government approach, to be honest. The therapists we are putting back into special schools and onwards into special classes and schools in general is a very serious body of work being done by the Government. The Department of education has engaged with the associated bodies for the speech and...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: On universal design, the planning and building unit in the Department of education is looking very seriously at all the proposals that come into it. The first thing we are looking at now is what is the special education provision within a new campus or a repurposed building. We have to make sure of this when we are building. There is no point in building physical buildings that are not...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We will monitor the proceedings of that meeting very closely. Constant new thinking will improve the system as we go forward. I would appreciate it if the Deputy reached out to us and the team after the meeting to give us the up-to-date position. We will work with the Deputy in the special school in Longford, St. Christopher’s, and the issues that exist. I am aware that this is...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: That is the point. Parents and groups we meet talk about alternative respite or different facilities. The State has invested significantly over a long number of years in many facilities and it pains me to see those facilities not being used even at the weekends or during the summer holidays. We must be very innovative about how we move forward with those facilities. If we are going to...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We met the vice principal on Thursday or Friday of last week and I was very encouraged by the commitments there. I saw some very good and innovative ideas in the school. When I go to special schools or primary schools, I am always encouraged by the way they have integrated horticulture and so on.

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I was impressed by them, particularly the shape of the polytunnel in St. John the Baptist Boys' National School. We will have a very healthy generation of young people because they are really being encouraged as regards where food comes from. We will work with the schools on a number of the issues raised by the Cathaoirleach and will relay information back to him. I compliment the schools...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The level of data collection, serious engagement and research by UL and school authorities in Limerick has to be complimented. Mary Immaculate did further studies in relation to its Oscailt report on it. The communities are blessed to have a number of influential third level institutions. Some are really engaging with school authorities as to what the challenge is and how it can be met....