Results 201-220 of 5,873 for speaker:Michael Moynihan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I again thank the Deputy for raising these issues. I note the concerns she has regarding the building in respect of damp, leaks, the toilet facilities and the other issues raised. I take them on board and I will be liaising with the Department in relation to what she outlined. It is greatly important. I understand and accept that St. Joseph's CBS in Drogheda is liaising with the emergency...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Funding (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I will give a bit of background information. The development of football is a matter for the FAI, which, like all national governing bodies of sport, is an independent, autonomous body that is responsible for the organisation and development of the sport. While the FAI has sought significant State funding to support its academic development...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Funding (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I take the point. It is clear from the prepared script from the Department, and the House will know, that there is serious investment. Much work has been done with the FAI over the past number of years and we will continue to do so. It is an important sport in our communities, and it is important that we engage and encourage more people. The Senator referenced women’s...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Eligibility (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: It is great that we are discussing Cork North-West and these issues in general. I congratulate the Senator on her election and wish her every success. The Department has outlined the various schemes and payments - the pension payments and social welfare payments - the double jeopardy issues and so forth. Everybody understands what social welfare payments entail. All of us will have come...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Eligibility (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I will take the point that Senator Lynch made back to the Department. The challenge here is that relating to one person one payment. In 2000 or 2001, the half-rate carer’s payment was introduced. If memory serves, Seamus Brennan, who was the Minister at the time, brought it in. We will explore that. I want to put on the record the fact that the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Military Aircraft (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I am responding on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, who unfortunately cannot be present. I welcome the opportunity to respond on this matter and I thank Senator Andrews for his question. In December 2024, the Department of Defence signed a contract for the delivery of four German-made Airbus H145M helicopters, which will provide a modern light utility helicopter...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Military Aircraft (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The specific line in the reply is "there is no intention to purchase military equipment from Israel". This is an issue the Senator has been passionate about, not just for the past 18 or 20 months, but for a long time. Like him, we are horrified by what has happened. We have been to the forefront in the European Union in condemning what is happening in Israel for quite some time, and we are...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Transport (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Senator her very kind remarks. I will endeavour to live up to them. I will give it my best shot. It is a role I eagerly look forward to. I thank the Senator for her engagement on the Joint Committee on Disability Matters. She was extremely informed and extremely forthright in her views. I appreciate that and I appreciate her comments. I will go through the scheme first of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Transport (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We are currently looking at all the information we got by the end of April and the information regarding payment and where we will need to put on buses that we got by last Friday. That work between the Department and Bus Éireann is proceeding at pace because we need to get it done in the next three weeks. We will be talking about it. I will endeavour to work with the Senator to try...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. First, I will discuss the Department of Education and Youth school energy retrofit pathfinder programme. The Department is leading an ambitious sustainable agenda and has progressed a number of measures to improve the overall sustainability of our school buildings as part of our work towards the 2030 and 2050 climate targets. Its performance has...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bus Services (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The school transport scheme is a demand led scheme based on the number of children who apply. The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and directly recruited drivers, and private contractors who recruit their own drivers to operate on the scheme. As part of the operation of the scheme, Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have advised my department that all schools were advised on the 6 June of any change to their SNA allocations for the 2025/26 school year. If a school feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. The NCSE...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have advised my department that all schools were advised on the 6 June of any change to their SNA allocations for the 2025/26 school year. If a school feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.? In...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (10 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: My Department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. The Education Therapy Support Service was established in June 2024 within the NCSE and comprises of 39 therapists and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (10 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: With regard to new special schools being constructed and the associated external play areas, these areas will be agreed when the overall building design and optimum site layouts have been evaluated with input from the design team and agreed with the Department at the pre-stage 1 architectural planning meeting. A multi-purpose games area, a junior play area with soft play surface, sensory...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (10 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The provision of General Purpose (GP) rooms and PE Halls, at primary and post primary level respectively, as well as outdoor hard play areas form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings or where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school. My Department provides different size PE Halls and GP rooms depending on the size of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (10 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Under the current terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (10 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. The school referred to by the Deputy is currently located in interim accommodation on a school campus site in Citywest, Dublin. Bus transport has been provided for the school to this location. This is a private arrangement and is not within the remit of...