Results 6,181-6,200 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (6 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is a separate statutory agency, is responsible through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas where a need has been identified. Applications meeting the criteria are approved by the NCSE and the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for the question. This is particularly important vis-à-vis my role as Minister of State with responsibility for special education. Many children have difficulty reaching their potential without access to digital technologies. We need to provide these to them so that they can overcome traditional barriers to learning, and to support inclusion across the system. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: As I have mentioned, the review is ongoing and we expect it to be completed by mid-2023. It will involve a consultative element. There will be consultation with relevant stakeholders and we will be inviting them to participate. It is really important that we stay on top of technological advances all the time and that we are forward thinking with the technological assistance we can give to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I will, of course, keep the Deputy informed. In County Clare also, there are 47 special classes. Two were opened this September. There are also 15 special classes at post-primary level, two of which were opened this year. A number of the children in those special classes in County Clare and throughout the country probably will be looking for assistance. It is important to stress the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The summer programme has been described by, for example, the Department inspectorate as life-changing, given how important it is for children with additional needs. Indeed, the report of the Department’s chief inspector referred to post-Covid regression and how that is likely to persist for a period, and we need to take that into account when we talk about the importance of the summer...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I completely agree with the Deputy that these workers have an awful lot to offer. That is why we have allowed that flexibility for schools to hire staff from the early years sector. This year, for example, provision was made to include newly qualified teachers, undergraduate student teachers and final year students as well as those from the early years sector. We want to expand the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Absolutely. One of the primary issues with which I have been tasked is to try to encourage and make it easier for schools to participate in the summer provision. One of the reasons we secured €20 million in the budget is so that €40 million is already set aside for next year. Staff will, therefore, have time to plan in each individual school, particularly special schools in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy. The provision of special classes throughout the country is another issue with which I have been extremely seized. I secured €2.6 billion in this budget to provide some of those places to children with additional needs. We have increased the budget by 10% from last year. In fact, the special education budget is 27% of the entire education budget, which is an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for his acknowledgement of Doonbeg National School. I commend his and Mr. Crowley's efforts to secure a sanction from the NCSE for the opening of a special class. It is wonderful to hear that the school has had a positive experience. There is not a school I have visited with a special class that has not had a positive experience. Some of them go on to open two or three...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I will answer Deputy Dillon's question first. Mr. John Kearney is the CEO of the NCSE. The budget provided €13 million for the NCSE to hire this staff. I know Mr. Kearney is actively pursuing that as quickly as possible because he badly needs the staff in order to make sure we can assist parents and families that have a child with an additional need who is looking for a special...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Schooling (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Deputy will be aware that the DEIS programme is the Department of Education’s policy response to the issue of educational disadvantage. The home school community liaison, HSCL, scheme is an integral element of the DEIS programme. It is a school-based intervention provided to DEIS schools to address the needs of pupils at most risk of educational disadvantage. The role of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Schooling (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: It is important that the Deputy raised this question because we have to consider these matters, which the Department does. The Deputy conceded that the scheme comes under the DEIS programme and that it is only for schools within that programme at present. It is also important to point out that special schools receive more in capitation than a DEIS school receives in combined funding of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Home Schooling (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I want to reassure the Deputy that I know this is being looked at and that it has been looked at. I will bring the Deputy's contribution on further analysis back to the Department. The staffing ratios in special schools are significantly lower than in mainstream schools and that is intended to ensure the needs of their students can be met effectively. The Deputy is correct that they are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I wish to thank the Deputy for the question and the opportunity to provide an update on this very important scheme for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage. The 2022 summer programme built on the expanded programmes of 2020 and 2021. From 2021, all schools were given the opportunity to run at least one summer programme. In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. For 2022, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. For 2022, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. For 2022, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. There are two aspects to this question, one in relation to teaching and learning and the other in relation to school building. It is important to recognise that the vast majority of children and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The 2022 Summer Programme is a very important scheme for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage. This programme built on the first ever Inclusion Summer Programme which was introduced in 2021 and it means that all schools could offer a summer programme to pupils in primary and post-primary, whether they were mainstream or special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (11 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: It is a priority of this government that the national Council for Special Education (NCSE) is properly resourced so that they can respond effectively, compassionately and quickly to the increased need in our education system The Department is committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported...