Results 5,461-5,480 of 5,761 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Committee (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: We have a quorum so I will call the meeting to order. I remind all members to turn off their mobile phones. Apologies have been received from Senator Lynn Ruane. I propose that we deal with housekeeping matters in private session now. Is that agreed? Agreed.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Committee (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: Members will recall that at our last meeting we agreed to discuss committee resolutions today. Before I expand on this, and in response to queries from members, I want to make a point regarding motions in general. It relates to Standing Orders. Standing Order 84(2) of the Dáil provides:It shall be an instruction to each Select Committee that-----(a) it may be only consider such...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: On behalf of the joint committee, I welcome from the special education section of the Department of Education and Skills Mr. Dalton Tattan, assistant secretary, and Mr. Jim Mulkerrins, principal officer. I also welcome from the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, Ms Teresa Griffin, chief executive officer, and Ms Mary Byrne, head of special education. The delegates will brief the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Mr. Tattan and Ms Griffin for that very informative presentation. I requested the list of schools from the Department and took the liberty of phoning a few of the principals yesterday. In general, they were pleased with the new approach, which they feel is more proactive and equitable. It allows them to make decisions themselves based on the best possible opportunities for the...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Mr. Mulkerrins. We will get copies for circulation and, in fact, we have them now.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: That is fine.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: It is relevant to insurance issues as well.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Ms Griffin for that. I am conscious that other members wish to come in on the discussion.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: We only have one remaining speaker, so I will include Senator Kelleher in this grouping. The Senator is welcome to our committee today.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: She is very welcome here.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: The witnesses may decide who responds to what.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Mr. Mulkerrins. Senator Ó Clochartaigh has indicated a wish to contribute. I will wind up the meeting soon and urge him to be brief.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Senator.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: The point has been well made by the Senator.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Children with Special Educational Needs: Discussion (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee and giving of their time. It certainly has been a very informative and productive session for members on an issue of huge fundamental importance to all of us, not only to children with special needs and their families and teachers, but to communities and society as a whole. The new model the witnesses have outlined to us is a very...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Committee (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: We need to attend to several items of business. Just before the meeting started I received an e-mail from Deputy Byrne on the ongoing situation with the ASTI and the Department of Education and Skills. It is incumbent on us as the Joint Committee on Education and Skills to acknowledge that today is the first of eight days of strikes in ASTI schools, which is very regrettable. There are...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Committee (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: That is a fair point.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Committee (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: There is a big impact on them. It is a huge challenge.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Committee (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: That is fair. We will look at three different sessions and if necessary we will continue until 2 p.m., so I suggest the meeting would be between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The time is appropriate, particularly with regard to Deputies and Senators who must travel from afar.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Committee (27 Oct 2016)
Fiona O'Loughlin: We could do it in the afternoon if that-----