Results 461-480 of 6,570 for speaker:Michael Moynihan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. The retirement age for school bus drivers has been set by Bus Éireann at 70 years of age, which also applies to all Bus Éireann road passenger services. The policy and criteria also apply to drivers nominated by private operators who operate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Bus Éireann is currently assessing all applications and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1157 and 1158 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 last...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 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. Through the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places over recent years, there are now just over 28,000 students enrolled in special classes and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is attending their nearest Gaelcholáiste, however they are not eligible for school transport as they do not meet the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (29 Jul 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. Through the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places over recent years, there are now just over 28,000 students enrolled in special classes...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (29 Jul 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 NCSE actively encourage expressions of interest from schools to open special classes, and I appreciate and commend the efforts taken by boards of management in expressing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: As you are aware the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided. During the planning process a number of schools may be approached to consider opening a special class in their locality. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport scheme, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 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, including the allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs). The NCSE has advised my department that all schools have been informed of their SNA allocation for the 2025/26 school year. As the NCSE is responsible for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1197 and 1198 together. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. The NCSE is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised.] Under Section 67 of the Education Act, the NCSE have the statutory power to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport scheme, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside notless than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 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 advised that 407 new special classes have been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. This includes a number of new early...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport 2030 report was published in early 2024 following a comprehensive analysis and review of the scheme as it currently operates. The recommended changes to the future operation of the schemes include expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the best value for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The Education Plan 2025, which was announced on the 19th of June 2025, confirmed Government approval for the establishment of the Education Therapy Service (ETS). This will see therapy supports extended within the education system, initially in special schools, and subsequently expanded to schools with special classes and mainstream provision overtime. This is not to replace HSE services...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: Assistive technology is seen as a critical enabler for those with special educational needs to gain the maximum benefit from a modern technologically focused education system. In Budget 2023, an additional €2 million funding was secured for the Assistive Technology Scheme, an increase of almost 60% on funding allocated previously to this essential support. The purpose of the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1220 and 1224 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. This year, in order to ensure new special classes could open as quickly as possible for the 2025/26 school year the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 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 Transport (29 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The School Transport 2030 report was published in early 2024 following a comprehensive analysis and review of the scheme as it currently operates. The recommended changes to the future operation of the schemes include expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the best value for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jul 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...