Results 3,101-3,120 of 6,188 for speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Aviation Industry (15 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Much of the Minister's reply was not incorrect but it largely amounted to a statement of regret for the situation we are in and an acknowledgement that things are bad in aviation. It seemed as if the Minister was asking, "What can we do?". That is not good enough. An awful lot of jobs are relying on the industry. Entire regions look to these airports as crucial to their futures. ...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Aviation Industry (15 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Today's news came as a devastating blow, first, to the workers and their families, and I hope something can be done even now to salvage these jobs, and, second, to Cork Airport as a whole. There are over 10,000 people whose employment relies either directly or indirectly on it and I have been contacted by many of those people, including people working as baggage handlers, for shops and for...

Financial Resolutions 2020 - Financial Resolution No. 7: General (Resumed) (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will primarily speak about the education elements of this budget. The pandemic demonstrates that Irish schools are underfunded, understaffed and overcrowded. This has slowed the reopening of schools and it means that keeping schools open safely and sustainably is extremely challenging. It is a challenge that teachers, school staff and principals face every day. We have much more to do...

Other Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: This is an issue that is arising throughout the State with schools that are just narrowly missing out on the school census. These circumstances change. Some are related to Covid-19, like Glasheen school near me, where many of the parents may work in hospitals and universities, who may perhaps be international and who may not be there next year. Many such schools have lost out. They may be...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 5. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for details of the guidance for those at high risk; if schoolchildren who have medically vulnerable parents will be facilitated with remote learning; and if she will revise the Medmark process for high-risk school staff. [30314/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I read last week's guidance on remote learning. There were some issues with it, including the heavy reliance on special educational teachers. I was especially disappointed that the document continued to ignore any facilitation for children and staff who have high-risk parents at home and cannot attend school as a result. These parents have been asking for guidance for months. Some schools...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: When I raised this with the Minister previously many of these parents were anxious. Part of the difficulty here relates to how broad the high-risk category is. The very high-risk category is extreme and specific and obviously there are particular provisions for that category, but the high-risk category seems to take in everything from mild asthma to leukaemia. Many parents are highly...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: That brings me on to the latter part of my question relating to Medmark. There is increasing anxiety among school staff. I have raised with the Minister previously the fact that I believe there is a need for greater leadership and communication on the situation in schools. Schools may be relatively low-risk environments and children may be less likely to transmit the infection, but they...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: It is welcome there is a very clear message but it is certainly my experience that special education teachers in particular feel the guidelines are not adequately clear and that the NCSE needs to be more assertive. Yesterday's budget included provision for 1,000 special needs assistants, which I welcome, and it follows similar measures in the previous years. However, the manner of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 3. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of clear guidelines on when and the manner in which children with special educational needs can integrate within mainstream classes during the school day and the way in which that will be managed. [30313/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: An issue seems to be arising in schools across the State whereby families are being told either to choose between the unit and the mainstream if their children are in an autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit. I understand that this is not required or appropriate. It is happening in the absence of guidance. There is limited guidance provided, amounting to four lines in the roadmap. Will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I am glad to hear it is the Minister of State's firm belief that children with special educational needs should not be denied the opportunity to be part of the mainstream class and to have the associated interaction. My concern is not that it is the Department's intention that it should be otherwise; it is that what I describe is happening. Not every parent is necessarily willing to bring...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 1. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the significant inequalities in pay, conditions and pension and other entitlements facing many school secretaries. [30312/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Tá ról ríthábhachtach ag rúnaithe scoile i gcomhthéacs feidhmiú na scoileanna. School secretaries are the backbone of a school. They keep them going, doing a number of jobs. They do not want to be in this situation where they are looking at industrial action, but that is the situation they are in, and one which has dragged on for too long. We heard from...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The work school secretaries did was crucial in getting schools open, and they are playing an enormous role in keeping schools open. We all know from our school communities about the diverse work they do - for example, they take care of a child who is hurt, they deal with queries from parents, they organise the menu choices of a child for school lunches and so on - but, to be honest, they...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The school secretaries have had plenty of acknowledgement. However, it is not acknowledgement that they are looking for - it is pay equality, decent pay, pension entitlements and improved conditions. They want to return to the WRC, and I believe that they are willing to do so. However, that must be on the basis of addressing the real issues they face. It is not enough to go into the WRC...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 30. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the work carried out by a company (details supplied) on behalf of her Department regarding the calculated grades model was appropriately certified as in compliance with the standards expected by her Department; and if she plans to recoup payment on foot of the very significant errors which were made. [30280/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 58. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school transport and the progress that is being made to ensure the same number of children who were carried in 2019 will be carried again in 2020. [30276/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 75. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the delivery of a new building for a school (details supplied). [30278/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason teachers who received a notification from the Covid-19 tracker app indicating they must isolate because they were a close contact of a confirmed case were then told by the Department of Health that they did not need to isolate; and the reason the notifications do not apply to the teaching profession. [30279/20]