Results 21-40 of 5,825 for speaker:Michael Moynihan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 372, 445 and 448 together. The government is committed to the provision of additional special school places for children with more complex educational needs. Over 300 new special school places are being provided for the coming 2025/26 school year. Five new special schools are being established in addition to the eleven new special schools opened over the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: My department has recently issued a new circular letter to schools in relation to the approach and measures being undertaken to support the forward planning of special classes and special school places for the 2026/2027 school year. The circular letter and NCSE guidelines clearly set out the eligibility criteria for access to a special class or special school. For example the eligibility...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. The NCSE has advised my department that all schools have been informed of their special needs assistant (SNA) allocations for the 2025/26 school year. As the NCSE is responsible for the allocation of SNAs to schools. I have forwarded the school's details to them...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 404 together. This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: It is my intention to prioritise the Programme for Government commitment to introduce a National Therapy Service in education, commencing in special schools and subsequently extending to schools with special classes and mainstream provision. It is intended that the National Therapy Service will commence in some special schools at a later stage in the 2025/26 school year. Further roll out...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education is a priority for this government.?It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).? The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Minister McEntee and I continue to meet the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and senior Department officials each week to track the progress being made in terms of new special class and special school places for the coming school year. As you will know, the NCSE confirmed the sanctioning of 399 new special classes for the coming school year before Easter. This was several...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 388, 389 and 410 together. There are approximately 30 of our 129 special schools that were originally designated as schools for children with a MGLD. The establishment of these special schools predated the significant expansion in the range of supports offered in mainstream schools through additional special education teaching and special needs assistant...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. The NCSE has advised my department that all schools have been informed of their SNA allocations for the 2025/26 school year. The NCSE is responsible for the allocation of SNAs to schools, I have therefore forwarded the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Where a school-based programme is not being run or a place is unavailable, the Home-based Programme will be available for children with complex special education needs. Due to the strong preference for students to take part in school-based programmes, the home-based programme is not available where a school-based programme is being provided. In the case of the child concerned, it was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 406 and 407 together. I propose to take PQs 406 and 407 together. The government is committed to the provision of additional special school places for children with more complex educational needs. Over 300 new special school places are being provided for the coming 2025/2026 school year. Five new special schools are being established in addition to the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.? The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.? The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. In the current school year over 173,000 children – including 13,400 pupils with special educational needs - are transported daily in approximately 8,200 vehicles across 10,600 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The government is committed to the provision of additional special school places for children with more complex educational needs. Over 300 new special school places are being provided for the coming 2025/2026 school year. Five new special schools are being established in addition to the eleven new special schools opened over the last few years. Special school capacity is also being expanded...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The NCSE is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I have forwarded this issue to them for their attention and direct reply. Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. My...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Moynihan: As the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools, I have forwarded the school's details to them for their attention and direct reply. Deputies are also welcome to raise such matters with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie.