Results 1,601-1,620 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in helping to ensure the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in school life. This was acknowledged in the Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme (SNAs) published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018. The Review made a number of recommendations regarding SNAs...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 477 to 479, inclusive, together. In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools was deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year. All mainstream schools, regardless of their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Special schools funded by my Department are classified as primary national schools and are intended to cater for children and young persons with special educational needs from the age of 4 years until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year. A list of all special schools in the country, including those in the counties referenced by the Deputy, are available on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The purpose of the July Provision Scheme was to provide an extended school year for children with a severe or profound general learning disability or children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The scheme was developed to reduce potential regression in learning associated with these specific categories of special education needs over the summer holidays. With regard to the range of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I am aware of the concerns raised by the school. Ensuring that pupils adequately supported in education is a priority for this Government. I want to reassure you that the aim of the frontloading allocation model is not to exclude anyone from getting the supports that they need. The model applies to pupils with special educational needs enrolled in mainstream classes only and provides many...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I am aware of the concerns raised by the school. Ensuring that pupils adequately supported in education is a priority for this Government. I want to reassure you that the aim of the frontloading allocation model is not to exclude anyone from getting the supports that they need. The model applies to pupils enrolled in mainstream classes only and provides many advantages for both the school...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for Government. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are at unprecedented levels. Very significant levels of financial provision are made to ensure that children with special educational needs can be provided with an education appropriate to their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (5 Apr 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Special schools generally cater for children with the most complex needs. Accordingly, these schools have enhanced staffing levels with greatly reduced pupil/teacher and SNA staffing allocations. In general, speech and language and occupational therapy supports are provided by the HSE. On an ongoing basis, special schools also have access to the National Council for Special Education...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (31 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: My Department ran an expanded summer education programme for Summer 2021, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this expansion, students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage had access to an enhanced summer programme of education. The total funding available to provide the programme was €40 million, which was a one...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (31 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: 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. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (31 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: 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. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Council for Special Education (31 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I can assure the Deputy that officials from my Department will follow up with the NCSE to request that a response issues as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (31 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 to 304, inclusive, together. Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing additional teaching and care supports for children with special educational needs. The...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (31 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: 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. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Middletown Centre for Autism project is a jointly funded initiative between the Department of Education in Northern Ireland and the Department of Education aimed at supporting the promotion of excellence in the development and harmonisation of education and allied services to children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders. At the request of my Department, and, as approved...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing additional teaching and care supports for children with special educational needs. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Reviews (30 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: 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 17 years and there have been many significant changes and developments to policy relating to the education of children with...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank Senator Dolan for raising the matter, which she raised previously. It is a major building project that is planned for Scoil an Chroí Naofa, and there is also the major building project for St Teresa's Special School. I will deal with Scoil an Chroí Naofa first. As the Senator is aware, it is included in the Department's construction programme, which is being delivered...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (29 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: To clarify, in terms of St. Teresa's Special School, once a design team has been appointed the project can commence stage 1 of architectural planning which is the preliminary design stage. As I said I am doing all I can to make sure that is expedited because they are children with additional needs. I know the school, the incredible team and staff there and indeed the children. It was...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (29 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The policy of my Department is to provide a continuum of education provision to support the education of children with special educational needs. This continuum extends from placement in a mainstream class with the necessary additional teaching and care supports through to placement in a special class or special school depending on the complexity of need. The Special Education Teaching...