Results 821-840 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 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. For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers (SENOs), for fulfilling the functions of the Council within a designated area in relation to the identification of and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with disabilities. The Council employs SENOs to provide a nationwide system of local services....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (9 Feb 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 (SEN) 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)....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 204 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. For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 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 (SEN) 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)....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (8 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: The 2022 Summer Programme built on the expanded programmes of the previous two years. Since 2021, all primary and post-primary schools were given the opportunity to run at least one scheme under the programme. The Department has listened carefully to feedback from stakeholders and is working to make the scheme as inclusive as possible and available to as many eligible students as possible,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 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 (SEN) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 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 (SEN) 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 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). For 2023, the spend by my...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (8 Feb 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. For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on...

Report on the Summer Programme 2023: Motion [Private Members] (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I echo what the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte has said and I appreciate her support. I commend Senator Carrigy on his work and Deputy Buckley on sponsoring the motion. I thank both of them for their contributions and I thank Deputies Canney, Connolly, Michael Moynihan, Tully, Joan Collins, Ó Murchú, Funchion, Ó Cathasaigh and Conway-Walsh. I have taken a note of...

Report on the Summer Programme 2023: Motion [Private Members] (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Acting Chair for the opportunity to be with Members here today to talk about the summer programme. It has been a particular focus for me as Minister of State with responsibility for special education and inclusion. In fact, I have had the pleasure of visiting many of the summer programmes and have seen at first hand the immeasurable difference this programme makes to children...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I appreciate that the statistics are in the abstract and do not talk to individual families. Behind all of those statistics are individual families and individual appropriate placements. I allude to them simply to show the Deputy the progress that has been made but not to take away from the fact that a huge amount still needs to be done, particularly around post-primary education. That is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: This is something the Department is aware of. Other colleagues, including Deputy Stanton, have requested another special school in Cork as well. I mentioned earlier some of the initiatives that are being taken around forward planning because I am not convinced that it was done adequately in the past. That has been acknowledged and that was obvious because there were gaps. That is why that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: This was Deputy Ó Murchú's second question. His first question was specifically on Louth but I have no difficulty in taking this one. I met Fiacre Ryan last week, along with his mother. He has written a book, Speechless, which the Deputy is probably aware of. It is incredible for a non-verbal autistic child to write a book. His mother correctly made the point to me that just...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: This needs to be discussed in more depth with the Department. Officials in the Department are aware of the benefits of RPM but at the same time they say that there is no clear empirical evidence to underpin it and that the guidance suggests that a range of supports may need to be adopted for each child. Schools are not prohibited from using RPM but it will not necessarily be for every child...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: My understanding is that RPM is not prohibited in schools. If there is a particular school where there is an issue, perhaps the Deputy could let me or the Department know about it. RPM encourages those who are struggling to communicate to use techniques that include writing, typing or pointing. Other organisations might have concerns about this method, notwithstanding its successes for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I completely understand that. There is extremely intense engagement going on with a lot of the special schools at present in terms of providing additional capacity. Some of the initiatives I outlined to the Deputy were for that very reason. Some of them will be able to add existing accommodation and reconfiguration to the schools that they have themselves. Three special schools have been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank both Deputies for their contributions. There is a site as well in Glanmire which I may not have mentioned. There is agreement in principle in respect of that acquisition. It is being progressed through conveyancing with the Chief State Solicitor's office at present. There is a detailed breakdown on the NCSE website of what is there. I am aware of Deputy Stanton's particular...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (2 Feb 2023)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy for her question. There is real representation from Cork in the Chamber this morning. It shows the level of commitment but also of concern from the county and city on the part of the public representatives in respect of special education. It is important to stress that 92% of special classes are to support autism in general terms. That would apply to Cork as well. It...