Results 2,401-2,420 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jun 2021)

Josepha Madigan: An Assessment of Need is a service provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) for children or young people with a disability. The assessment identifies the child's health needs and what health services are needed to meet the child’s needs. Matters in relation to the provision of health-related services and the assessment of need should be directed to the HSE or to the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Traffic Offences (31 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Senator Boyhan for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton. We can both agree that the abuse of disabled parking spaces by other motorists is selfish, anti-social and, as the Senator mentioned, anti-equality. It can cause grave disruption for those for whom the spaces were...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Traffic Offences (31 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I will convey the Senator's disappointment and remarks to the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Naughton. The Department of Transport is of the view that the penalty is fair, proportionate and sufficiently high enough to deter drivers from engaging in this kind of behaviour. Senator Boyhan talked about Operation Enable, which is a multi-agency initiative. I...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Bullying in Educational Institutions (31 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. She will be aware of the national Action Plan on Bullying published in 2013, which was a number of years ago as she said. We are all aware that bullying is a very complex and difficult issue that can occur in many different settings, including the home, wider family, social groups and during sporting and youth club activities. I note...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Bullying in Educational Institutions (31 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I note what the Senator has said about restorative justice. It is something in which I believe, even in the criminal justice system and its application to prisoners. In the bullying area, it is definitely worth considering. I will bring that suggestion back to the Minister, Deputy Foley. Extra NEPS psychologists have been provided for in the budget for this year. We were acutely aware,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (27 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together. My Department provides funding to schools towards the cost of equipment and specialist software for educational purposes under the Assistive Technology scheme, as set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013. In order to qualify for equipment under the Assistive Technology scheme, a child must have been diagnosed with a physical...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (27 May 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: Education Policy (27 May 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 made...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (27 May 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 May 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 (26 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 160 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 needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (26 May 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 made...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (25 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I hope to put this matter into context for the Senator. As she will be aware, enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for the Government. The principle of inclusive education is set out in the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 and embedded in the Department's policy for supporting children...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (25 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: As Senator Currie outlined earlier, the school deserves an answer as people’s hopes were raised. I hope I have set out an adequate answer for them. Obviously, I cannot speak on behalf of the NCSE, but I can certainly communicate what happened. What happened was an operational error and I understand the school has been informed about that. I am satisfied that the 13,600 SETs we have...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (25 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: As the Senator correctly pointed out, €2 billion, almost 25% of the total education budget, is going into special education this year. Budget 2021 provided for an additional 900 SNAs who are vital to the smooth running of the schools for children with additional needs. An unprecedented 18,000 will be in place by the year's end. They play a critical role in supporting children with...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (25 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: As I mentioned, part of the consideration of the review will include accreditation and no doubt the retrospective element will be considered as well. I am satisfied that the new training programme now in place is of very high quality. It will help the experience of our children with special needs in our schools. The Senator mentioned Newbridge and St. Conleth and Mary's Primary School and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Enrolments (25 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Senator Wall. It is important to set out the context around the consideration of additional secondary school places, not just in Kildare but throughout the country. To plan for school provision and to analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department, as the Deputy may already be aware, divides the country into 314 school planning areas. It uses a geographical information...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Enrolments (25 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Senator and I understand his concerns around clarity for students who wish to attend school, whether it is a primary or a post-primary school. The instructions I have from the Department specifically on the school mentioned by the Senator are that the negotiations are at an advanced stage on the site acquisition. I will obviously bring his views back to the senior Minister,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (25 May 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 337, 356 and 362 together. The Government 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 incredibly important Government decision, which ensures...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (25 May 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...