Results 781-800 of 8,927 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (26 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: 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 specialist...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (26 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: On 16 January 2024, The National Council for Special Education published its policy advice paper on special schools and classes entitled “An Inclusive education for an Inclusive society”. This follows a request in October 2018, by the then Minister for Education and Skills, to advise on the educational provision for students in special schools and classes and to make...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (26 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: In Budget 2023, the government provided an additional €13 million for the expansion of services within the NCSE. This will mean an increase of up to 161 additional staff in the organisation, a workforce increase of 50%. As a result of the additional funding allocated to the NCSE, it is intended to increase the number of SENOs to 120, from the previously sanctioned 73, an increase of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Cathaoirleach and the committee for inviting me, as Minister of State with responsibility for special education and inclusion, to attend this meeting. I am accompanied by a number of officials from the Department’s special education section, namely Mr. Doody, Mr. Hanlon and Mr. McLoughlin, who work in various policy and operational areas of special education within the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I might deal with the budget issue first. At the forefront of my mind is places for children this September. All Departments are starting the Estimates process dealing with the Department of public expenditure and reform. As the Deputy knows, a third of the budget, €2.7 billion, goes towards special education. I want to get an increase in funding in the upcoming budget to make sure...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Senator for her comments on that. The summer programme includes both special classes in mainstream schools and special schools, so the number has increased from 1,400 to 1,700. There was a time when there were only 13,000 children availing of the summer programme, which used to be called the July provision, but it is now 50,000. We have seen that increase and we are going to be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: To add a final thing, the inspectorate monitors the summer programme as well. The reports back from it have been really positive. It says the summer programme is working excellently and going very well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: The Senator has hit the nail on the head in relation to some of the issues for parents. Even in the coming school year, it is an issue when classes become available in a particular school. I am speaking in general now. Parents have raised with me that sometimes when a place opens up it will be taken by a child already in the school who requires a special class. This is about information...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: It is both.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: The autism prevalence rates will be of interest to everybody. There has been a significant increase in the number of young people diagnosed with autism in Ireland. A Department of Health report in 2018 suggested that the autism prevalence rate was approximately 1.8% of the population. It is evident that figure is now outdated. Using the best information available, the Department of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I get that this is only part of the jigsaw. There is also the whole area of community supports. Work is ongoing on forward planning. That is a role for the NCSE and my Department, working with the Departments of children and Health, which will play a key role in respect of the evidence regarding prevalence rates. This is not just about neurodiversity but also-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Not all neurodiverse children will need supports. It is absolutely the case that we have challenges. I see that as I travel all around the country.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: There are challenges throughout the country. The Senator can characterise it any way he likes. I see that there is huge anger.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I characterise it in the context of parents' anger and frustration. Yes, there is a crisis for families who cannot find a place for their children this coming school year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: This is what I am working through every single week with the NCSE. It is why I am holding weekly meetings to discuss capacity. The NCSE has told me there is capacity for children who have additional needs to find a special school place. They will get places in the coming school year. These are the children who are known to the council. I will be brutally honest in saying that the council...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Senator.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy for her questions. Teacher training is an issue of huge interest to me. I know that since September 2022, inclusive education has been a mandatory component in all initial teacher training programmes, aligning with the Céim standards for initial teacher education. I have been engaging with my colleague the Minister for higher education, Deputy O'Donovan, on teacher...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Special schools are more complex and that is why the rate is €60. We want all schools to do it and we do not want to concentrate just on special schools. The Deputy is correct. What we are trying to do, from the Department's point of view, is reach out to schools to encourage them to take it up. Because the patrons own the schools, however, we do not have the ability to force them...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: An Inclusive Education for an Inclusive Society: Department of Education (25 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I absolutely do not agree with that. One of the key barriers was pay for teachers and SNAs and we increased that.