Results 1,041-1,060 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Departments (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Senator Kyne for raising this matter and for this opportunity to provide an update on the status of the new emergency department at University Hospital Galway. I also take this opportunity to acknowledge the very difficult and unacceptable conditions for patients and families and healthcare staff who work in University Hospital Galway. I am pleased to say, as the Senator...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Departments (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister for Health and the Department. The proposal for the new emergency department is now part of a larger development that incorporates maternity and paediatric services. It is a complex project that is in the early stages of design and progression. It is regrettable that it has taken this long. I hope that by the time this hospital is built...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: We all recall that during the pandemic, and the Deputy mentioned this about Limerick, the staff in the Department of Social Protection went above and beyond to ensure people got the support that they needed in a timely fashion. I have every confidence that will be the case here as well. The Minister has confirmed that she will allocate additional staff to deal with the processing of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection. The additional needs payment is available from the Department of Social Protection to assist people who are experiencing genuine financial hardship. As of the end of September 2022, almost 66,000 applications for additional needs payments had been processed and awarded, representing a 60% increase in the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (19 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. The NCSE have advised that ASD classes are organised to address the specific needs of students with ASD. Currently, only students with a specific...

Seanad: Summer Programme: Statements (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Senators for the opportunity to be here 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. I had the pleasure of visiting many of these summer programmes and I have seen first-hand the immeasurable difference this programme makes to children with special educational needs and those...

Seanad: Summer Programme: Statements (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I will address the Senators who are in the House as opposed to going through the contributions from the other Senators. Senator Murphy raised some of the points already raised by other Senators. For Senator Dolan's information, there were 45 different summer schools in Galway looking after 726 children. In Roscommon, there were 11 looking after 249 children. We would love to see that...

Seanad: Summer Programme: Statements (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: We have all of that data. There was an 18% increase in participation from last year. As was mentioned, there were 1,000 schools involved in the programme, up from 945 last year. That is one in four schools, but it is still not enough. I was talking on the radio earlier and a school principal from County Carlow phoned in. He said that schools should not be shamed into providing the summer...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2022)

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 2022, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2022)

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 and disabilities to receive an education is a priority for this Government. For 2022, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Board of Management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all of the pupils in their school. Schools should supervise and support children who are distressed or exhibiting behaviours of concern until they have recovered and are able to re-engage in the classroom. In some circumstances this may mean the temporary removal of a child from the environment where the problems...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The 2022 summer programme built on the expanded programmes of 2020 and 2021. From 2021, all schools were given the opportunity to run at least one summer programme. In line with last year, the total funding available to provide summer programmes in 2022 was up to €40 million. I can assure the Deputy that the programme continues to focus on supporting pupils with complex special...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I wish to advise the Deputy that since the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (EPSEN) Act, 2004 was enacted, the Department’s policy on supporting children with special educational needs has changed and evolved on foot of evidence-based policy advice from the NCSE. Significantly, the focus of special needs education provision has changed from a model that is...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following: The Cross-Sectoral Group on Disability Issues for Children and Young People (CSG) provides leadership and supports decision-making for key Government Departments and Agencies, which have a role in the delivery of disability services. Membership is made up of representatives from a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: As the Deputy will be aware, as announced in December 2021, I have sought a review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, 2004, which provides for the education of children aged under 18 years with special educational needs. The EPSEN Act 2004, is now in place for more than 18 years and there have been many significant changes and developments to policy relating to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 475 and 476 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 2022, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (13 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Over the last two years the Summer Programme has been expanded beyond the original July Provision which offered a programme for pupils in special schools and special classes. The inclusion programme, which ran for the first time in 2021 at primary and post-primary level, allowed schools to offer a school-based programme to pupils in mainstream settings who have complex needs, as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (13 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews and the school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your correspondence has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (13 Oct 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews and the school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your correspondence has been...