Results 2,321-2,340 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department continues to prioritise investment in special education, with over €2 Billion due to be spent on special education this year. For the coming school year there will be over 13,600 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream schools, who will support class teachers to address the special educational needs and learning needs of pupils...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 306 together. My Department continues to prioritise investment in special education, with over €2 Billion due to be spent on special education this year. For the coming school year there will be over 13,600 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream schools, who will support class teachers to address the special educational needs and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: It is the policy of my Department that all children, including children with special educational needs should attend school for the full school day. Only in very limited circumstances, for example, where children are recovering from illness, and are required to be reintegrated to school, should reduced timetables be considered. In such circumstances, this should be part of a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 309 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that in accordance with the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 schools are obliged to report on school attendance, and data on non-attendance in primary and post-primary schools at the aggregated level are collected by Tusla through the Annual Attendance Report (AAR) and, also at the student level through the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Ensuring that every child has a suitable school placement is a key objective of this Department. Significant resources are allocated each year to ensure that appropriate supports are available for children with special educational needs. It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Site Acquisitions (23 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy. I note what he is saying on the urgency of this matter. I also note it is his fourth time raising it in the Dáil. I will relay this information to the Minister, Deputy Foley. I have no doubt that she takes a hands-on approach in so far as possible with all of the building projects. What the Deputy said about Ballincollig, and the fact it is a very busy area,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Site Acquisitions (23 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House on the site acquisition for Gaelscoil an Chaisleáin and Le Chéile Secondary School in Ballincollig, whose building projects are included in the Department's capital programme. Under the memorandum of understanding in place between the Department and local authorities, officials in my Department are working with Cork City...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Budget 2021 increased the number of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts to over 18,000 by December this year. This represents an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available. The pay at entry of a new entrant SNA, inclusive of employer PRSI, is €28,821 so the estimated cost of 100 SNAs would be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The state will invest approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget, in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs next year.  This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which time €1.247 billion per annum was provided.   The SNA scheme provides mainstream primary,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in helping to ensure the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in school life.  This was acknowledged in the Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme (SNAs) published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018.  The Review made a number of recommendations regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: 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 over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Process (23 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I wish to advise the Deputy that a number of sections of the Education for Persons with Special Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 have been commenced. The commenced provisions include those establishing the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and those providing for an inclusive approach to the education of children with special educational needs. The following sections of the EPSEN Act...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (23 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in helping to ensure the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in school life.  This was acknowledged in the Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme (SNAs) published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018.  The Review made a number of recommendations regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: My Department has approved the provision of significantly expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a Covid-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021. This is an important decision, which ensures that for first time all primary and post primary schools have the opportunity to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.  The disruption prevented the delivery of the necessary training and information workshops to support the roll...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: In relation to the particular case raised by the Deputy, I understand that the relevant support services and agencies, including NEPS and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are aware of the case and are working towards ensuring that the student can be reintegrated into a school placement. The Deputy will also be aware that the NCSE has responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and special school places nationally, to meet identified need. This process is ongoing. Through better planning at both national and local level, it is my objective that specialist...