Results 3,001-3,020 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (18 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. May I also take the opportunity to congratulate her on her election to the Seanad? Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government and for me, as the first dedicated Minister with responsibility for this area. Next year, over 20% of the total...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (18 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The Senator mentioned joined-up thinking so I wish to reassure her that the Department meets the NCSE on a weekly basis. I am the very first Minister with dedicated responsibility for this area and there is a huge body of work to be done.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (18 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: There is a forecasting model that is being developed with the NCSE so that we can work with existing schools and know, from a demographic perspective, how many children and people with special needs will need accommodation.One of the announcements I made this week was that all new school buildings - I got this commitment from the Department - will be able to open and have space for special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.  Next year, over 20% of the total Education budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special educational needs.   This investment will support the provision of over 1,200 additional special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to reassure the Deputy that ensuring that every child has a suitable school placement is an ongoing priority for my Department.  In this particular case, NCSE has confirmed that they are in ongoing contact with the parent. In the past week, NCSE has identified a number of options which includes confirmation of the availability of places in a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: An application for Assistive Technology has been received and processed for the student in question.  The terms and conditions for the Assistive Technology Scheme are outlined in my Department's Circular 0010/2013 which is published. Under the Scheme, applications are made to the National Council for Special Education who process the application and make a recommendation to my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: There are no plans to expand Reading Schools at this time. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is currently undertaking Policy Advice on Education Provision in Special Classes and Special Schools to examine whether placement in specialist settings brings about improved educational outcomes and experiences, relative to their ability, for students with special educational...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: 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 were commenced in 2005. Section 1...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is currently undertaking Policy Advice on Education Provision in Special Classes and Special Schools to examine whether placement in specialist settings brings about improved educational outcomes and experiences, relative to their ability, for students with special educational needs. This Policy Advice is to be completed and a report...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Tuition Scheme (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: The purpose of the Special Education Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement and provision is made for early educational...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I will be very brief. Special schools have an enhanced pupil-teacher ratio. There are about three medical special schools attached to child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. There are 114 schools for children with special needs. Regarding the school inclusion model, the World Health Organization has always said that schools are best placed to have an inclusive education...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Last week the Deputy mentioned the prospect of a new special school in Cork. As I mentioned to the Deputy last week, discussions are ongoing with the Cope Foundation, the patron of Scoil Aislinn. Several building projects in Cork are being re-examined for any potential capacity. That process is ongoing. Discussions with Fórsa on SNAs are ongoing. If there any issues they will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I think the Minister has answered that adequately. I have previously expressed my appreciation for the valuable work that SNAs do, which I reiterate today. To be clear on the use of the 72 hours, it should be pupil-centred activities such as assistance with care planning, learning resource administration such as preparing classrooms and materials, class and school planning and development...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Yes. As I told Senator Dolan, the interim evaluation report that we received on the school inclusion model pilot was advantageous and showed that children had improved listening skills and competence and had reached most of their targets. We are now rolling out the model to additional community healthcare organisation, CHO, areas. We hope to do the entire nine CHOs over a period of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Normally in new primary schools, there are at least two special classes and in post-primary schools, there are between two and four special classes. We have approximately 1,600 special classes in the country. That is a high figure when compared with 548 such classes in 2011. Of the 200 school projects that we have at present, 116 will have autism spectrum disorder units, five of which will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: To follow on from what the Minister said, the budget had €1.2 million for educational psychologists. They were primarily recruited for children with special needs. Most of that money would be targeted at pupils with special educational needs. On the inclusion model, the NCSE can recruit therapists directly, so the HSE is not in a position to take any therapist from children who need...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: Ultimately, the school has a designated teacher who will liaise with parents about distance learning to ensure that any technology that is required is provided. There is provision in the budget for those resources and the Department consistently takes those data to ensure that no child does not have access. The Deputy is right and if there is ever a pandemic again, we want to ensure that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I have forgotten Deputy Ó Cathasaigh's question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I am aware that approximately 15,000 families avail of the home tuition scheme at a cost of approximately €19 million. As the Minister, Deputy Foley, alluded to, there is a designated teacher for very high-risk children who are at home and an amount of distance learning in that way. The schools have discretion to manage their resources. I believe that was everything the Deputy asked...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Priorities and the Effects of Covid-19 on the Education System: Department of Education (17 Nov 2020)

Josepha Madigan: I will make one point on that. The HSE makes the assessments and one does not need an assessment to obtain an SNA within a school environment. The Deputy raised the issue of early intervention. That is generally done through the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme and through the access and inclusion model. That should also continue. If there is any backlog, I am not aware...