Results 2,101-2,120 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 382 together. The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 384 and 385 together. 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 Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. This year, just under 25% of the total Education budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special educational needs.As a result, the numbers of special education teachers, SNAs, special class and special school places are at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (5 Oct 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Oct 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. The level of investment in special education, at almost €2 billion, is at an all-time high. An additional 269 additional special classes have been opened this school-year. This brings the total number of special classes nationally to 2,118. The new classes provide 1,600...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (5 Oct 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The Education for Persons with Special Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 sets out the vision for the education of children with disabilities in this country. The Act requires that a child with special educational needs should be educated in an inclusive environment alongside their peers unless the nature and extent of those needs would not be in the best interest of the child concerned or the other...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (5 Oct 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Ensuring that every child receives an education is a priority for my Department. The provision of the necessary supports for children with special educational needs including children who are deaf or hard of hearing is a necessary consideration in this regard. There is a continuum of education provision in place for these children ranging from placement in a mainstream class with some...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: As mentioned by the Deputy, I have visited Riversdale Community College, where I saw first-hand the work under way in regard to the new Danu special school. There is an emergency works scheme in place to which the school can apply for funding in relation to the roof, which should not be substandard. If there are leaks, it needs to be fixed. I advise the Deputy to encourage the school to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I understand that the Department of Education is aware of this case. It is important that we provide adequate therapists within schools. We are working with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, on this issue.Workforce planning is also required to ensure we have sufficient new therapists coming on stream. Suffice it to say, the Department is aware of this case and will engage with the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (30 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: At present, special schools do not have guidance counsellor teacher allocations. The matter of guidance counselling in special schools was considered as part of the Indecon Review of Career Guidance, which report was  published in April 2019.  The report includes four recommendations relating specifically to guidance counselling to promote inclusion.  The...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Educational Disadvantage (29 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I am delighted to see the new Seanad. This is my first time here, either as a senior Minister or as Minister of State. Hats off to the people who refurbished it. It is wonderful to see the work, particularly the ceiling and the beautiful lights. I have been looking around at the surroundings. DEIS is under the remit of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, but I am happy to take this...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Educational Disadvantage (29 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I do not have a timeline for Senator Ardagh today. I understand the work is ongoing on the final elements. There are 184 schools at present in the DEIS programme, encompassing approximately 185,000 pupils, which is about 20% of all schools. It is a considerable number, but that is not to say that other schools should not be included. We must support children from disadvantaged areas....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Educational Disadvantage (29 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I appreciate that. The Department is aware that I am in the Seanad representing the Minister today and of the urgency of the matter. A number of different schools wish to be included in the DEIS programme. We will consider all the applications once the consultation process has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.  The level of investment in special education, at almost €2 billion, is at an all-time high.  An additional 269 special classes are being opened this school-year. This will bring the total number of special classes nationally to 2,118. The new classes provide 1,600...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (29 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile. Under the allocation model, schools have been provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile.   The provision of a profiled allocation...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: A total of 14,179 payment claims have been received from parents under the Supplementary Programme. Closing date for applications was 14 May 2021. Under the programme, parents sourced a teacher and when the delivery of tuition was complete, they submitted a claim to the Department for the payment of the teacher or SNA who delivered the additional 5 hours tuition/support per week.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The management authority of each school carries responsibility for making decisions regarding the Transition Year Programme in that school. Each school designs its own Transition Year programme, within set guidelines, to suit the needs and interests of its students. In establishing its own distinctive programme content, the school takes into account the possibilities offered by local...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: My Department provides an extensive range of supports to assist pupils who are Blind or who have Visual Impairment. In line with my Department's policy, which is provided for under Section 2 of the Education of Persons with Special Needs Act 2004, that children with special educational needs access appropriate education intervention in mainstream settings where possible, the majority of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (28 Sep 2021)

Josepha Madigan: My Department operates an Assistive Technology scheme, details of which are set out in Circular 0010/2013 published on my Department’s website that can be accessed at: education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0010_ 2013.pdf. Under the Assistive Technology scheme funding is provided to schools towards the cost of computers and specialist equipment, which are required...