Results 1,281-1,300 of 9,435 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Primary School Funding: Motion [Private Members] (26 Jun 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: On behalf of the Government, I welcome the opportunity to close what has been an insightful and informative discussion about this important matter. The many issues raised and statements made today will feed into the Department's ongoing commitment to the provision of funding and other supports to the primary school system. As the Minister, Deputy Foley, said, the Government is aware that...

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...

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

Hildegarde Naughton: I understand that this is an anxious time for parents who are seeking a school place for their child for September and I would like to assure the Deputy that this government is determined to alleviate the pressures faced by parents when seeking a special educational placement. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has advised my department that they continue to support the...

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

Hildegarde Naughton: The Assessment of Need (AON) is a statutory process under the Disability Act (2005) whereby the Health Service Executive (HSE) reports on the health and education needs of a child/young person. The provision of Guidelines for the assessment of needs process is a matter for the HSE. With regards to the education aspect, if within the AON process the HSE Assessment Officer forms the opinion...

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

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to thank the deputy for the question. As the deputy is aware the allocation of Special Education Teaching and Special Needs Assistant resources are allocated as a school resource and not to individual pupils. When special education resources are allocated to schools based on their profile of need, it does not dictate what child receives support. The deployment of resources...

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

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to thank the deputy for the question. I want to take this opportunity to outline that as part of the review of Special Education Teaching allocation process, my department has introduced a number of initiatives to address the specific matter raised. The moving of the allocation process to an annual basis for 2024/25 school year removes the time lag where school profiles...

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

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to thank the Deputy for her question. Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) make a valuable contribution to our school communities through the provision of adult support to enable students with significant care needs attend school. The SNA Workforce Development Unit (SNAWDU) within the Special Education division in my department has commenced work on the first Special Needs...

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

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and wish to advise you of the following: The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 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 20 years and there have been many significant changes and developments to policy...

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-----