Results 1,061-1,080 of 3,623 for speaker:Ulick Burke

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: The word "may" is used.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: As an interim measure, will the Minister of State assure parents who have assessment reports prepared by professionally recognised persons in the private sector, lodged at present in the Department of Education Science — they may be in the dustbin at this stage — and awaiting recognition, for want of a better word, that these reports will be acted upon so delays will not cause children to...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: They are close to it.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (6 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: It states "will have". What about the assessments that are currently lodged?

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: As the Order of Business has only now been agreed, is it possible that the time allocated for the resumed Committee Stage of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003 can be extended?

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: In view of the delays and disruptions that took place during the Order of Business, can the Leader consider extending the time allocated for resumed Committee Stage?

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: I support the amendments. Is the Minister of State confident the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science and Finance have the professional personnel to adequately perform the duties required under the amendments? Would they create difficulties? If so, what action will the Minister take to address these difficulties, given that this serious issue has been highlighted by many...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: I move amendment No. 19: In page 10, subsection (1), line 33, to delete "may" and substitute "shall". At present the legislation states that an assessment under section 4 shall be carried out with the assistance of persons with experience and the necessary qualifications. However, the legislation states that this may include a psychologist, a medical practitioner, the principal of the school...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: I emphasis again to the Minister of State that "may" is a weak term in that it is possible that it may not be essential for one of the experts listed to be involved. They may be but it is not an absolute requirement that they should, which is the thinking behind the amendment. In the absence of the amendment, the assessment could take place without the expertise required in section 4.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: I support the amendment. Does the Minister of State's Department have the personnel, resources and expertise to provide such services? If not, will this involve an additional charge arising from the implementation of the Bill to provide the necessary linguistic expertise? Psychologists and other professionals who do not have access to translators or interpreters may not be competent to...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: Will the Minister of State assure the House that the persons referred to in the Bill will have such linguistic competency?

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: I thank the Minister of State for her reply.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: I know that you have ruled it out of order, a Chathaoirligh, but——

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: I appreciate that and I will be guided by your direction, a Chathaoirligh. Yesterday, we mentioned the issue of trained teachers in the context of the Bill. Currently, the Department of Education and Science is training no more than 35 teachers per annum at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick to work with children with special needs. Given that throughput, can the Minister of State explain...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: We do not have a choice.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: We are awaiting a reply from the Minister of State on section 9.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: I move amendment No. 31: In page 17, subsection (8), line 45, after "it" to insert "within one week". Subsection 11(8) requires the principal of the school to whom the direction is given under subsection 11(7) to comply with the requirements laid down. No timescale is stated. It is accepted that the procedures provide for in the Bill will involve delay. This requirement should not be left...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: The Minister of State has been inconsistent in that she has admitted there have been amendments to the Bill to avoid delay but she is now leaving it open-ended. Every school principal faces a huge additional work load where there are children with special educational needs but to leave the timescale at the discretion of the board is inconsistent and it would be regrettable if the Minister of...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: Does the appeals board have the capacity to set down a timescale?

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Ulick Burke: I move amendment No. 33: In page 18, subsection (2), line 18, to delete "2 months" and substitute "one month". The appeals board shall hear and determine an appeal under this section within two months. A child with special needs could find him or herself in a situation where all of the timescales are used because of disagreements, appeals and processing, leading to serious delays before the...