Results 2,741-2,760 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Legal Costs (24 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: It should be noted by the Deputy that my Department does not initiate such proceedings and cases are generally only litigated where no potential settlement is acceptable to both sides and the Government's authority to decide issues of education policy is in question. My Department does not take lightly any decision to defend cases concerning children with special educational needs. Therefore,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 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. I am particularly conscious of the impact that school closures have on children with special needs. I am particularity conscious of the impact school closures have on children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (24 Feb 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 860 SNAs would be € 24,786,060.

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

Josepha Madigan: The supplementary programme of in-person support is intended to enhance the remote learning experience for pupils with complex special educational needs during the school closure period. The four-week programme provides 5 hours per week of support (20 hours) which is intended to be delivered in the pupils home at evenings and weekends up to 30 April 2021, including during the Easter break....

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

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 461 and 549. 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. I am particularly conscious of the impact that school closures have on children with special needs. I am particularity conscious of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 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: Literacy Programmes (24 Feb 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. I am particularly conscious of the impact that school closures have on children with special needs. Building on the return to school in recent weeks of children in special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Feb 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. I am particularly conscious of the impact that school closures have on children with special needs. I am particularity conscious of the impact school closures have on children...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Chairman and the committee for the invitation to attend this meeting, particularly as the session that was due to take place in January had to be rescheduled. I am accompanied in this virtual setting by: Ms Martina Mannion, assistant secretary and head of inclusion in the Department; Mr. Eamonn Murtagh, director in the planning and building unit; and Ms Shirley Kearney, acting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I understand the frustrations that families of children with special needs have had over recent months. It has been extremely difficult for them and we can all share that concern. I appreciate the Senator's acknowledgement that children in special classes, a total of 10,300, returned to school yesterday. It was not before time but they have got back and that is a positive development. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I could not agree more on the summer provision, or the July provision, for this year. Regression has really adverse consequences for children with special needs and the summer provision is a way for them to reintegrate into a school environment. Last year, in line with the criteria we used, pupils included those with a diagnosis of autism or of severe and profound learning difficulties,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Deputy Wynne for her questions. I hope that I have taken a note of all of them but if I have not, she can come back to me later. There were quite a few there. First, on contingency planning for the future, since the beginning of the pandemic there has been and is consistent engagement with our education partners at all times, including teacher and SNA unions. The Department's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor for her comments. I agree with what she said around communication. To be extra clear, I am not announcing any dates about the return to school. I know that is the intention, but a Cabinet decision is being made today and I can confirm that there will be clarity at that point. The Deputy referred to school buildings and smaller schools. It is important to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I did not reply to the question on SNAs, but I see I made a note of it. The current allocation is frozen at the moment due to Covid, but schools can apply for additionality. No school is losing an SNA at present. The Deputy might be aware that we secured 1,000 additional SNAs this year so we are up to 18,000 in total.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Deputy Cairns for her questions. I am aware that online learning is not suitable and that is why we have been prioritising trying to get those with special educational needs back into the classroom. At least 50% of special schools are back. As the Deputy said, it is not ideal that it is not 100% yet, but it is a start. We also have special classes back. On waiting times for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I have met with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to discuss waiting times and lengthy car journeys for assessments. The school inclusion model was a pilot project we did with 150 participating schools, 75 preschools and 75 primary and post-primary schools in those areas that I mentioned, Wicklow, Kildare and south-west Dublin. That was only one community health organisation area. In...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: The child will get the service in his or her school and will not be travelling for it. It is not a HSE service. It is separate. It will be within the child's school environment. It would depend only on how long it takes for the child to travel to the school. Geography will make a difference. In some pockets, such as south Dublin and Cork, there is a greater lack of places and assistance...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I appreciate the Deputy's comments and I hear his frustration, which I share. I know this has been an extremely difficult time for families and children. Contingency planning is important. It is wrong to say there has not been any contingency planning as there has been. There is weekly engagement with all of our education partners and updated guidance on remote learning. Remote learning...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for her comments. However difficult this has been for all of us, as public representatives, for the families of children with special needs it has been immeasurably more difficult and challenging for them. That is what motivates all of us, even everybody on this committee, so that we can be a voice for them. I referred earlier to timelines and deadlines. What I can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Josepha Madigan: I will do my best to answer the many questions asked and the Deputy might please let me know if I do not. Down's syndrome children were included last year and they will be included this year. Arising from the comment about Deputy Andrews, I recently met representatives of Autism Equality Dublin Bay on the lack of special class places in Dublin 2 and 4. There is a process outside of the...