Results 4,701-4,720 of 21,588 for speaker:Denis Naughten

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (15 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: 188. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she in taking to avert strike action by school secretaries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30742/20]

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: I did not actually ask that question. It was with regard to Covid-19.

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: I will come back to the Minister of State's earlier reply when she talked about additional SNA supports. I welcome that additional resources are being put in there. The specific point I will put to the Minister of State is that the SNA exceptional need review took place over the summer. The results of that were available to the Department at the beginning of August. The schools, however,...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: 14. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she will take to cater for the increasing numbers of special needs pupils at primary level; if she has assessed the impact of the curtailment of supports for such children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29739/20]

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: This is a similar question to the one I asked earlier and so the Minister of State does not need to repeat the answer.

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: I prefer to avail of the 30 seconds to ask a question. I pointed out earlier how the lack of access to speech therapists is having a direct impact on the education not just of the children with a learning disability but of other children in those classes as well. What is the Government going to do to ensure that speech therapists are taken away from contact tracing and returned to doing...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Minister of State. I understand her remit. I have taken up this issue with the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health, the chief executive of the HSE, the Minister for Defence and, today, the Minister of State, who are the five people in authority across this area. I am making a very simple request, namely, that Defence Forces personnel or retired Defence Forces personnel be asked...

Other Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: I want an answer to the question I asked about what direct supports will be provided to students to prepare them for these exams, considering they have been out of school since last March. That is a basic request.

Other Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: A tremendous amount of work has been done by the Minister, her officials, teachers, support staff in schools, pupils and parents to ensure that schools opened in September and remained open. Under our projections, even if we go up to level 5, the modelling is that we will keep our schools open. I am concerned by the caveat in relation to public health advice. We will need to adapt and...

Other Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Minister for that reassurance. It is important that whatever resources are needed are made available for the class of 2021. Some 2,820 students are going to sit a written exam this November because they unfortunately could not do so last June. What specific resources are being made available for those particular students to assist them and ensure they reach their full potential...

Other Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: What about the students themselves?

Other Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: That is the accommodation but what about resources to assist them in preparing for the exam? I am not talking about the physical accommodation but tutorials and assistance. These students have not sat in a classroom since last March.

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

Denis Naughten: That is much different.

Other Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: 6. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the steps she will take to ensure that there is a leaving certificate examination in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29740/20]

Other Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: Leaving certificate 2020 was a difficult time for every student. Standardisation caused major concern. Some 6,000 students had their results upgraded. Almost one in 20 students have now applied to sit the examination in November. The students of the leaving certificate class of 2021 are now afraid that they will be messed around. Will there be a leaving certificate examination next June?

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

Denis Naughten: 4. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she will take to cater for the increasing numbers of special needs pupils at primary level; if she has assessed the impact of the curtailment of supports for such children as a result of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29741/20]

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

Denis Naughten: Over the past three weeks, I have brought to the attention of the Taoiseach, the Minister for Health, the chief executive of the HSE and the Minister for Defence the scandal whereby existing front-line therapy staff, including occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech therapists, whose intervention can make a real difference to children's progression in our education system, are...

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

Denis Naughten: I welcome this and it is a very positive development to be commended. However, for James who started school in September 2018 and who was referred by the early intervention team to the Galway and Roscommon autism spectrum disorder service in Athenry and placed on a four-year waiting list for occupational therapy and speech and language therapy, the announcement will not have an impact. His...

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

Denis Naughten: I welcome the reply from the Minister of State. The difficulty is that she is correct, as her remit is about the education system and the Minister of State with responsibility for disability is in charge of another aspect of it. What is happening is this issue is being passed from Billy to Jack. We took Defence Force personnel away from contact tracing and we left speech and language...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (14 Oct 2020)

Denis Naughten: 21. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address large classes in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29738/20]