Results 221-240 of 6,570 for speaker:Michael Moynihan

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The AIM programme is within the Department of children and disability. On that piece of information not being shared with the Department of education, in respect of domiciliary care from the Department of Social Protection and AIMS from the Department of disability, we need a whole-of-government understanding of what the need is so that it is not just one particular arm of the Government...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I did meet with the group in March of this year in relation to its proposals. In the first instance, as regards all schools that are putting on or getting extensions at the moment, one of the main criteria we are looking at is their provision for special education and whether there is an increase in that regard. That is a given and a must within every school, whether a primary or...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We will re-engage with them but-----

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: -----not until I have the information together. When I have the information together, I will engage with the Deputy, Oireachtas Members and the group.

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I take the point on the three children the Deputy mentioned. When children have enrolled in a specific school, that need is documented right through to the Department and the NCSE. We try to make fast decisions about the supports to be put in place. I am well aware of a number of children in special classes or mainstream classes awaiting modular buildings being completed. We are working...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I take the point. There is a lot of work going on. I do not think there was a principal off during the month of August. Many principals and school authorities were engaging with us on a daily basis on the challenges they were facing. I compliment the school authorities because they are very serious people and they are very genuine about trying to ensure that they accommodate families and...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Some of the questions relate to the Department of children and disability but it is all a whole-of-government approach, to be honest. The therapists we are putting back into special schools and onwards into special classes and schools in general is a very serious body of work being done by the Government. The Department of education has engaged with the associated bodies for the speech and...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: On universal design, the planning and building unit in the Department of education is looking very seriously at all the proposals that come into it. The first thing we are looking at now is what is the special education provision within a new campus or a repurposed building. We have to make sure of this when we are building. There is no point in building physical buildings that are not...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We will monitor the proceedings of that meeting very closely. Constant new thinking will improve the system as we go forward. I would appreciate it if the Deputy reached out to us and the team after the meeting to give us the up-to-date position. We will work with the Deputy in the special school in Longford, St. Christopher’s, and the issues that exist. I am aware that this is...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: That is the point. Parents and groups we meet talk about alternative respite or different facilities. The State has invested significantly over a long number of years in many facilities and it pains me to see those facilities not being used even at the weekends or during the summer holidays. We must be very innovative about how we move forward with those facilities. If we are going to...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We met the vice principal on Thursday or Friday of last week and I was very encouraged by the commitments there. I saw some very good and innovative ideas in the school. When I go to special schools or primary schools, I am always encouraged by the way they have integrated horticulture and so on.

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I was impressed by them, particularly the shape of the polytunnel in St. John the Baptist Boys' National School. We will have a very healthy generation of young people because they are really being encouraged as regards where food comes from. We will work with the schools on a number of the issues raised by the Cathaoirleach and will relay information back to him. I compliment the schools...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The level of data collection, serious engagement and research by UL and school authorities in Limerick has to be complimented. Mary Immaculate did further studies in relation to its Oscailt report on it. The communities are blessed to have a number of influential third level institutions. Some are really engaging with school authorities as to what the challenge is and how it can be met....

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Five schools across the country are being piloted for the 2026 school year. We have to do more than piloting because it is important. If you listen to any media reports, parents are on and they are talking about the number of letters of rejection they are getting. Going back over many decades at this stage, the CAO system for third level education was developed in a meaningful way long...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We are monitoring all the places that we have been provided. We started off when the need was clear earlier this year and we looked at what was needed to try to make sure that we did the best we can by every child and every family. We are continuing to work on that. It is not something that is stopped on 1 September. It is something that we are very much engaging on right throughout the...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The assessment of need comes under the Department of children and disability, but it is an aspect that has been discussed more than most at the Cabinet subcommittee on disability, with reference to how we are going to meaningfully tackle the waiting lists. The Deputy mentioned a figure and talked about it growing. The Government is desperately serious because getting an assessment of need...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: There has been a huge amount of work done at Government level because of the challenges that are there. There is a huge amount of work going on at the moment.

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: That is one of the most fundamental issues. In one of the first interviews I did after being appointed, I said we have to bring back the timelines. Last year, the deadline for parents to contact the NCSE was 1 February. This year's deadline is 1 October, which is a couple of weeks away. We hope the need will be established in a couple of weeks. We are going to work to try to ensure...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We are getting information from SENOs and public representatives right across the country. A large number of public representatives, from all political parties and none, are hugely invested in the families of people with additional needs. We get a considerable amount of information from them, even just going along the corridor, about particular parts of the country that do not have services...

Committee on Disability Matters: Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The new section on disabilities that has been established within the Department of An Taoiseach is the lead body. The subcommittee on housing has met most often to date but the subcommittee on disability is second in that regard. That subcommittee comprises all of the Ministers and Secretaries General of the Departments, senior departmental officials, together with representatives of the...