Results 6,241-6,260 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: There is a difference there. If there are 144 students in primary school at the moment and we assume the majority of those will be going on to post-primary, we have to make sure we have the placements for them. The NCSE is aware of that. Mr. John Kearney, who is the new CEO, will be able to recruit extra staff to implement that and use our forecasting model to be able to anticipate where...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: It goes without saying that there are, and will be, conversations we are not aware of that are ongoing with schools in Louth and in the environs and that would not be publicly available. Those children may already be catered for, but that is something on which I can update the Senator. One of the things we want to do is to make sure that gap between primary and post-primary is closed, not...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Departments (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Senator Kyne for raising this matter and for this opportunity to provide an update on the status of the new emergency department at University Hospital Galway. I also take this opportunity to acknowledge the very difficult and unacceptable conditions for patients and families and healthcare staff who work in University Hospital Galway. I am pleased to say, as the Senator...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Departments (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister for Health and the Department. The proposal for the new emergency department is now part of a larger development that incorporates maternity and paediatric services. It is a complex project that is in the early stages of design and progression. It is regrettable that it has taken this long. I hope that by the time this hospital is built...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection. The additional needs payment is available from the Department of Social Protection to assist people who are experiencing genuine financial hardship. As of the end of September 2022, almost 66,000 applications for additional needs payments had been processed and awarded, representing a 60% increase in the number of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: We all recall that during the pandemic, and the Deputy mentioned this about Limerick, the staff in the Department of Social Protection went above and beyond to ensure people got the support that they needed in a timely fashion. I have every confidence that will be the case here as well. The Minister has confirmed that she will allocate additional staff to deal with the processing of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (20 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 (25 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 (25 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for Government. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels. The State currently spends in excess of 25% of its annual education and training budget...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (25 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide. Accordingly your correspondence has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply. It is open to any school to make an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (26 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: The provision of health-related therapy services for children with disabilities is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the question should therefore be directed to that body or to the Department of Health.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (26 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The information requested is not held by the Department of Education. The availability and provision of health-related therapy services for children with disabilities, including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, are provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE). Matters in relation to the provision of health-related services should therefore be directed to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (27 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: For my Department's Summer Programme, all primary and post-primary schools are invited to run a school based programme during the summer months. The programmes are co-ordinated and run by the specific school in accordance with specific terms and conditions as set out by the Department, including the length of each school day. Schools may arrange their programmes by sourcing staff that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Schooling (27 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 to 213, inclusive, together. My Departments Home Tuition Grant Schemes provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention. The Home Tuition Grant Schemes are governed by annual circulars...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Assessment of Need (AON) process is provided for under the Disability Act 2005. Assessment Officers under the remit of the HSE are charged with organising the Assessment of Need. The Assessment Officer makes the determination as to whether or not a child or young person meets the definition of disability contained in the Act and the HSE Assessment Officer co-ordinates and completes the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for raising this Topical Issue matter. It is an important topic. As a previous Minister for Education and Skills, the Deputy did a lot of work. I think he introduced the school inclusion model, which I will talk about momentarily. My Department's main responsibility in this area relates to the provision of education for children with disabilities, whether in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Nov 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I note what the Deputy said about the court ruling. He spoke about the demarcation between the different Departments. The Department of Education will be assisting the HSE in relation to the AON process, which will hopefully speed up the time within which children will get therapists and the therapy they require. The HSE is responsible for therapists being provided to special schools. I...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Nov 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Assessment of Need (AON) process is provided for under the Disability Act 2005. Assessment Officers under the remit of the HSE are charged with organising the Assessment of Need. The Assessment Officer makes the determination as to whether or not a child or young person meets the definition of disability contained in the Act and the HSE Assessment Officer coordinates and completes the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Nov 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Visiting teachers for children who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired provide additional supports for such children, their families, and schools. Details of the services which are provided to schools and families by the visiting teacher service are available at ncse.ie/visiting-teachers. Each visiting teacher (VT) is responsible for a particular region and is allocated a...