Results 2,181-2,200 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: As Minister, I have powers under Section 37A of the Education Act to direct a school to provide additional places but this power is only used as a last resort and where all reasonable efforts have failed. This legal power to compel schools to provide additional places is only used where the following criteria apply: - there is established need for additional places in an area - it is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: In May 2021 the Government announced a package of supports to allow primary and post primary to offer a summer programme for students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a COVID-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021. The total funding available to provide summer programmes this year is up to €40 million, a one...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The Government will invest in the region €2bn this year in supporting children with special needs which is over 20% of the total Education budget. By the end of this year there will be 18,000 Special Needs Assistants employed in our schools. Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in supporting the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: A new model for allocating Special Education Teachers to mainstream schools was introduced from September 2017, based on the profiled needs of schools. The allocations were updated for schools with effect from September 2019, with limited readjustments being applied for at that time. The allocations have remained in place for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school years, with some adjustments...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools set out the details of the model for allocating special education teachers to schools. DES Circulars 007 and 008 of 2019 set out how the allocations for schools are being updated from September 2019. The Special Education Teacher allocation process provides a single unified allocation for special educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The School Inclusion Model (SIM) is based on policy advice from the National Council for Special Education based on the principle of providing the right support at the right time delivered by a range of personnel with relevant qualifications and skill-sets. Its purpose is to help students achieve better outcomes. Independent evaluation is a central part of the project and the outcome will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 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: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 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 Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your correspondence has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply. The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Schemes (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The information requested by the Deputy is set out below. The numbers of pupils that participated in the summer programme (or July Provision) in 2018, 2019 and 2020 across both home and school are as follows: 2018 2019 2020 10,228 10,563 13,608

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 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 and special class and school places are at unprecedented...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Facilities (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1017 and 1018 together. Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. The Department of Education will spend approximately €2 Billion or just under 25% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1029, 1030 and 1031 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. My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1032, 1033 and 1034 together. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the planning and cordination of education provision for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNA posts. Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) posts for allocation to schools, bringing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1035 and 1036 together. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels. My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021. This represents an increase of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1037 to 1039, inclusive, together. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels. My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021. This represents an...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The data requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 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. My Department does not have a role in making determinations in individual cases and accordingly your question will be forwarded to the NCSE for direct response. The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: In May 2021 the Government announced a package of supports to allow primary and post primary to offer a summer programme for students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a COVID-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021. The total funding available to provide summer programmes this year is up to €40 million, a one...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1046 and 1051 together. Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. The Department of Education will spend approximately €2 Billion or just under 25% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (27 Jul 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I wish to thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. My Department is very conscious of the issue of the language around autism, and this includes the use of the term “unit” to describe an ASD class. In this regard, the Department uses the term special classes instead. My Department will continue to emphasise the replacement of this word and seek to ensure that it is...