Results 481-500 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Staff (11 Jul 2023)

Josepha Madigan: My Department engages with a broad array of stakeholders including schools, special education interest groups, school management bodies, advocacy groups and other government departments on a multitude of issues. It also works with the Disability Participation and Consultation Network (DPCN) and the Disability Stakeholder Group (DSG) which is under the remit of the Department of Children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (5 Jul 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Home Schooling (4 Jul 2023)

Josepha Madigan: The Home Tuition Grant Scheme is available to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. The aim of the Department is to meet the needs of families and to ensure every child is allocated a suitable school placement. The preferred approach is that children are educated in school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (4 Jul 2023)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). For 2023, the spend by my department on special education has been substantially increased by over 10% on last year,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (4 Jul 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following. There are essentially two state agencies who can assist where a child is seeking a school place. The Educational Welfare Service (EWS) is part of Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) and operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (4 Jul 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 313 together. I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (4 Jul 2023)

Josepha Madigan: Under the Assistive Technology scheme, as set out in my Department’s Circular 0010/2013, funding is provided to schools towards the cost of computers and specialist equipment, which are required for educational purposes. All equipment provided under this scheme supports children with more complex disabilities who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (4 Jul 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy. As Minister of State with responsibility for special education, this is an area I am tasked with daily, as are the Department and the NCSE. It is imperative that every child with an additional need have a special class place in all counties. Over the past two to three years, the Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy. As I mentioned, in Meath, 24 new special classes will open for the 2023-2024 year, comprising 17 at primary and seven at post primary, amounting to a provision of 133 special classes providing for 798 pupils. In regard to the census figures, there has been an increase in population of 8% since 2016, but any change arising from the census is taken into account when we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: The SLA was signed in 2015. I concur with the Deputy’s statement that blind or visually impaired children need to be supported in every way possible to ensure that they reach their full potential in our education system. Due to the complexity of Braille, though, orders generally need to be placed for books by the November before the school year in which they are required. However,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: Departmental officials have commenced the initial stage of the review of the provision of Braille books and will meet ChildVision to discuss the matter this week. All potential options that are available will be examined to ensure that quality provision is in place for all children who need it and that delays in the delivery to students are avoided. A part of the review will examine options...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for her question. It is important to stress at the outset, as the Minister of State with the responsibility for special education, that this year’s budget for special education was €2.6 billion. That was a 10% increase from last year. It is also 27% of the entire education budget. Part of that funding includes support for children and young people in our...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I want to thank the Deputy for her question and acknowledge the real difficulties being experienced by this child and his family. I would like to take the opportunity to set out how we support children with challenging behaviours in our schools where the express intention at all times is that they have the supports necessary to allow them to access their education. The Board of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: The Department announced details of the 2023 Summer Programme on 9 February 2023. All schools once again have an opportunity to run a programme for those children that need it the most. The central theme for this year’s programme is ‘Building Confidence and Connections’. The primary aim of this theme is to help our children and young people to realise their potential,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 256 together. I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (29 Jun 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The...