Results 181-200 of 6,781 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Will the Minister give us a timeline for those proposals and outline the nature of them? I appreciate that some may require funding. The picture is one of a crisis and emergency. At primary level, there has a shortage of more than 2,500 teachers for the 2024-25 academic year. There are many unfilled posts, and a large number of schools have had to use unqualified staff to cover absences....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: The recognition of experience abroad is important. I encourage the Minister to engage with her colleague the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne, on the housing crisis, which is a major issue for teachers and a major driver when it comes to people leaving the country and not taking up teaching here. In responding to the situation relating to recruitment, we...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a protest at the Department of Education scheduled for tomorrow. It is a 24-hour sleep-out by parents who are demanding appropriate places for their children. They should not have to do that. It is disgraceful and shameful that they have to. I send them solidarity and tell them that I will certainly do everything I can to keep this on the agenda and to push for an appropriate...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 5. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline her assessment of the teacher recruitment and retention emergency at primary and secondary school level; the measures she intends to address it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8926/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 3. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills what additional demand for special class and special school places for September 2025 is now anticipated at primary and secondary school level; what measures she is taking to ensure the necessary school buildings, staff and resources are in place to meet that demand; if emergency measures are expected; and if she will make a statement on the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I ask the Minister about school places in south County Meath. We will need additional places in Dunshaughlin for this September. What additional demand for special class and special school places for September 2025 is now anticipated at primary and secondary school level? What measures is the Minister taking to ensure the necessary school buildings, staff and resources are in place to meet...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: That is the point, and I have not heard from the Minister of State that they will be. The question was about what additional demand for special class and special school places for September 2025 is now anticipated on the back of that new process. The Minister of State did not answer that question. In fact, he spelled out what we knew already, which is what the Department is planning. How...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 1. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the concerns raised by school leaders in relation to the accelerated roll-out of senior cycle reform; if she accepts that the accelerated timeline does not allow enough time for essential preparations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8924/25]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: As this is the first ministerial questions session, I wish the Minister and Minister of State the best of luck in their roles. This is a very important time and I hope we can make progress. Is the Minister aware of the concerns raised by school leaders with regard to the accelerated roll-out of senior cycle reform, if she accepts that the accelerated timeline does not allow enough time...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the fact that the Minister has met stakeholders. It is important that she meets all of the stakeholders in the sector at the earliest opportunity. If she has met them, she must surely have heard their concerns. I have not heard that reflected in her response thus far but they will have detailed them to her. They relate to a range of areas, principally capacity and preparedness,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: We have spent more time identifying those issues than on spelling out exactly what the timeline will be between now and September for teachers, in the main, and, related to that, for school communities, parents and, most important, students embarking on this new programme from September, if that is the timeline. That detail has to be spelled out to school communities and school leaders at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 41. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the counselling in primary schools pilot; the counselling hours delivered to date and the number of children to benefit; the way in which this pilot is monitored and evaluated; her plans for its further rollout; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8492/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 57. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on Strand I and II of the educational therapy support service; if she intends to transition this service to a national therapy service in education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8488/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Curriculum (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures she is taking to increase access to, and participation in, transition year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8489/25]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Financial Services (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 213. To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to change the tax treatment of the widow’s pension, to ensure that people in receipt of widow’s pension and who are working are not doubly penalised, particularly in light of the fact that if they become ill and can no longer work they cannot claim illness benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8914/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 232. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a new toolkit for the deployment of special needs assistants is being implemented; the details of same; the way in which this will impact on the supports available to children at school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8661/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 245. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the toolkit for deployment of SNA support (details supplied) amounts to a shift of responsibilities from SNAs to teachers; her views on whether this will place undue burden on teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8871/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 242. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the proposed timebound provision for teachers who qualify outside the Republic of Ireland (details supplied) will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8834/25]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 283. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of houses in County Meath now being considered for inclusion in the defective concrete blocks grant scheme; when a decision on these will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8872/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 314. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he recognises the anomaly in the social welfare system which means that people in receipt of widow’s pension, and who are working, are penalised if they become ill and can no longer work, because they cannot claim illness benefit for example; if he intends to address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement...