Results 2,701-2,720 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Education Review (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I wish to advise the Deputy that Special Education teachers support the mainstream class teacher by providing additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs, or additional learning needs, in schools. DES Circular 007/2019 for primary schools and 008/2019 for post primary schools set out the details of the model for allocating special education teachers to schools. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The supplementary programme is intended to supplement the teaching and learning provided by the student’s school and alleviate the impact of this period of school closure through the provision of five hours per week in-person teaching or care support to be delivered in homes. The programme must be delivered outside of the normal school day (i.e. evenings and weekends), so that the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: My Department is conscious of the fact that closing schools has hugely adverse consequences at individual, family and societal level and that the effect on children with special educational needs can be even greater. Building on the return to school in recent weeks of children in special schools and in special classes at primary and post-primary level, the Government has decided on a phased...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for Government. The Department of Education and Skills will spend 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. The numbers of special education teachers...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Education Review (3 Mar 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, over 20% of the total Education budget or €2 billion 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: 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 over 20% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs this year. The National Council for Special Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: 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 over 20% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs this year. The National Council for Special Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I am particularity conscious of the impact school closures have on children with complex needs and their families. For this reason, the reopening of special schools and special classes were prioritised with special schools reopening on 11 February on a 50% attendance basis with a supplementary programme in place. All special classes returned to in-school learning on a full-time basis...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Education Review (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: COVID-19 has negatively impacted across all aspects of society including in the area of education which has seen the closure of schools on two occasions. My Department has recognised that such school closures can have a particular impact on children with special educational needs and accordingly has – - Prioritised children with special educational needs for the earliest...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: My Department is conscious of the fact that closing schools has hugely adverse consequences at individual, family and societal level and that the effect on children with special educational needs can be even greater. Building on the return to school in recent weeks of children in special schools and in special classes at primary and post-primary level, the Government has decided on a phased...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: 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 over 20% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs this year. The National Council for Special Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: 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 over 20% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs this year. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE)...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The resourcing of special classes for students with moderate general learning disability is determined under the terms of the 1993 SERC Report (Special Education Review Committee), to reflect the profile of care needs expected in the class. Department Circular 09/1999 also provides some further detail on the pupil teacher ratios applicable to special classes. Special classes for students...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (3 Mar 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 SNAs and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (3 Mar 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 SNAs and the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I know that a phased re-opening of schools is particularly challenging for many children with special educational needs who have not yet returned to school and their families. The purpose of managing this cautious phased return is to continue to limit the mobility of the population and curb the spread of the virus. These further phases have been developed in close collaboration with education...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Is cúis áthais dom a bheith anseo inniu. Mar is eol dúinn, tá Seachtain na Gaeilge faoi lán seoil agus ba mhaith liom cúpla focal Gaeilge a úsáid ár dtús báire. Bímis bródúil as ár dteanga dhúchais agus úsáidimis í chomh minic agus is féidir. We have seen the challenges faced by students,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: Deputy Ó Laoghaire might be aware that approximately 1.5% of children internationally have special education needs, SEN. It is the same in Ireland. They are the children with the most complex needs. Approximately 8,500 children with special education needs, SEN, are in primary school and approximately 4,500 of those are back. Approximately 4,000 who are in third to sixth class are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The Senator asked about the summer provision. Approximately 14,000 took up summer provision last summer. It was expanded to Down's syndrome children, post primary and preschool. Work is ongoing for this summer and we are looking to expand it further. I am working with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, on the other matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Impact of Covid-19 on Reopening of Schools and State Examinations: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Josepha Madigan: There will not be any neglect of other children with special needs who are back in school. Obviously, we have to trust schools to best manage their special educational teaching resources. In the budget, we got 235 extra new teachers for special classes, 23 special school teachers and 145 special education teachers. There are now 18,000 special needs assistants. There are enough resources...