Results 6,541-6,560 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I will certainly speak to the Department and make sure the project manager ensures he gives the correct detail to the school authorities today. Again, I reiterate my understanding that it is ten classrooms, five of which are general classrooms, three of which are junior special educational needs classrooms and two of which are for moderate pupils. As the Senator said, however, the school...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: The work is ongoing with the NCSE and the Department. There has been intense engagement with schools throughout the country to ensure that no child with an additional need will be left without an appropriate placement in September. A huge amount of work is being done on that. There has been an intense focus on forward planning in recent years, particularly around a detailed review of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: As I said, in Cavan-Monaghan there are 86 special classes, 12 of which are new special classes that opened this year, one special school and nine early intervention classes. This is not to say that new special classes will not be opened for September 2023. I am glad the Deputy has notified the NCSE directly in respect of the children she mentioned. These children need to be known to the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I concur with the Deputy; it is extremely important. There is a particular focus on large urban areas where demand is highest. For example, we opened 94 new classes in Dublin; 65 in Cork; 23 in Limerick; and 24 in Meath. It is important to put into context that about 92% of the classes we have opened over the past three years have been for autistic children. The autistic prevalence rate...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for the question. As the Minister of State with responsibility for special education, me, the Department and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, are seized in making sure every child with an additional need has an appropriate placement in whatever school that is. The Deputy will be aware that the NCSE has primary responsibility for coordinating and advising...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: The Deputy made very valid points. This provision I mentioned, which stems from the Act we brought in last year, is somewhat aligned to the centralised applications system referenced by the Deputy. Given the complexities involved, it is a matter that remains under review by the Department but it is something the implementation of which will take time and will require engagement by education...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: The Deputy will be aware that there is just one day left, I think, to input into the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, EPSEN, review, which may be an opportunity for the group. I have no difficulty meeting them, but if they want to input a more detailed submission they could do so through that and have their views heard. It is important that we ensure there is an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for his question. He has brought this matter up with me on a number of occasions. He is a real advocate for east County Cork in terms of trying to provide a special school. As he knows, there are 14 special schools in County Cork. In fact, there will be 15 when Rochestown opens in the near future. We have opened three new special schools in the last three years, two...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and I appreciate his frustration. As he said, this has been going on for 27 years. Although this matter is not directly under my remit, I have a particular interest in it because the delivery of Gaelscoil Phádraig is being impacted by the delay in progressing the project at Ballyowen Meadows Special School. As Minister of State with...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I appreciate that, no more than any other school, Gaelscoil Phádraig, which has 145 pupils, deserves to be properly housed in adequate and appropriate accommodation. I know the negotiations and discussions between the Department of Education and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform are at an advanced stage and I have been assured by the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy. I am glad he was in the Chamber when I was responding to the Topical Issue matter raised by Deputy Boyd Barrett. While they raised matters relating to different schools, there are similarities with respect to the reasons for the delays. I reassure the Deputy that I have been pestering various Departments and Ministers in order to get this matter resolved, as an advocate...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (23 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: As I mentioned earlier, an extra €300 million in additional funding was given to the Department of Education in 2022. It was necessary to alleviate not just the normal pressures schools face but also accelerated delivery for children with special educational needs, which, as the Minister of State responsible for special education, I recognise as extremely important, the continued...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for his question and advise the following. Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). For 2023, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (21 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for his question and advise the following. Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). For 2023, the spend by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (21 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and advise that the provision of education for children with special needs is a priority for Government and for me as Minister for Special Education and Inclusion. This is reflected in my Department’s 2023 budget allocation of more than €2.6 billion to support special education. This level of educational funding and support is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 618 and 652 together. 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 2023, the spend by the Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Mar 2023)

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 (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE)....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Mar 2023)

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 (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE)....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Mar 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the deputy for raising these matters and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (21 Mar 2023)

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 (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE)....