Results 1,001-1,020 of 9,432 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I want to thank the Deputy for this question. For 2025, the special education budget will be substantially increased by 6%, meaning that for 2025 the Department will spend over €2.9 billion on supporting children with additional needs. The 2025 budget provides funding for almost 44,000 qualified and committed people who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Special needs assistants (SNAs) play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into mainstream education, special classes and special schools ensuring that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has advised...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: My department works closely with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. In Budget 2025, funding was secured for up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, and an additional 300 special school places for the 2025/26 school year. This will deliver 2,700 new places for children. Almost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: In June 2024 I announced the establishment of the Educational Therapy Support Service (ETSS), which will see the appointment, on a permanent basis, of 39 occupational and speech and language therapists, as well as 5 behaviour practitioners to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The expansion of therapy services within the NCSE is expected to build on the achievements and...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: In June 2024 I announced the establishment of the Educational Therapy Support Service (ETSS), which will see the appointment, on a permanent basis, of 39 occupational and speech and language therapists. The cost of the expansion has been provided for in the NCSE budget and on this basis, the NCSE are fully funded to facilitate the recruitment of the additional therapists required from...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: As the Deputy will be aware, almost 1,700 classes have been opened in the last 5 years and 11 new special schools have also been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,337. 48 of these classes are in County Roscommon, 7 are new for the 2024/25 school year, 6...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 386 to 388, inclusive, together. Almost 1,700 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in the last 5 years, and in this time 11 new special schools have also been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: My department works closely with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. In Budget 2025 funding was secured for up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, and an additional 300 special school places for the 2025/26 school year. This will deliver 2,700 new places for children. Almost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I want to thank the Deputy for the question. The Special Education Teaching model is an allocation model to provide schools with additional teaching hours to support the teaching needs of their students. When the 2017 model was introduced it replaced a diagnosis led model with one based on need. This has not changed for 2024 and the allocation to schools is to support all of the children...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to thank the deputy for the question. The special education teaching allocation is an additional resource provided to schools and is ringfenced for the sole purpose of providing additional supports to young people with special educational needs. The importance of providing well-timed, appropriate and targeted support to young people with Special educational needs is crucial to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to thank the deputy for the question. As a government, special education is a key priority which has been underpinned by more than a quarter of the entire education budget. Budget 2025 has provided for 1,600 additional special needs assistant (SNA) posts to support students in both mainstream and special education settings. To the greatest extent possible, students with...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Labour Market (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: The exact information requested by the Deputy is not available. The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is the official source of estimates of employment in the State. The most recent figures available are for Q2 2024. The LFS sectoral employment figures are based on the EU NACE Rev. 2 classification. Due to the methodology and sample size of the survey it is not possible to produce reliable...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Energy Prices (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: The data requested by the Deputy is contained in the table below. Table A: Imports of Electrical Energy 2020-(August) 2024 Product Group Jan-Dec 2020 Jan-Dec 2021 Jan-Dec 2022 Jan-Dec 2023 Jan-Aug 2024 Imports of Electrical Energy Value (€000) Value (€000) Value (€000) Value...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: 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 with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Enrolments (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 355 to 357, inclusive, together. Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 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 (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: My department works closely with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. In Budget 2025 funding was secured for up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, and an additional 300 special school places for the 2025/26 school year. This will deliver 2,700 new places for children. Almost...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 367 and 369 together. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs). SNA allocations to schools are posted on the NCSE's website annually. This information is broken down by county...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 368 and 370 together. Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). My department received an application under the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) Scheme in 2021 from the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Nov 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for 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 require additional...