Results 1,741-1,760 of 7,283 for speaker:Josepha Madigan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I can follow that up with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte and see what the position is. In June, she provided an additional 85 therapy posts to be employed within the closest proximity of special schools. I can discuss that further with her and see what the position is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: Unfortunately, I missed the UCD conferring because I had Covid and I would have been there otherwise. They had five modules over ten months. There is going to be an intake of 3,500 over three years, which is incredible and it is at no cost, being funded by the Department. It is something the NCSE had given advice on in 2018 so that SNAs would receive this training, which is vital. On...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Deputy. Yes, I was surprised myself when this transpired and other Deputies contacted me in this regard as well. I want to be clear that the national policy is not to phase them out at all. I can say that from my perspective. Sometimes they are transformed into special classes for mainstream. I am, however, committed to early intervention. We have more special classes now....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The piece about transition from primary to post-primary school is obviously critical. One of the challenges, as the Deputy mentioned, is when people move and we are not aware of that, particularly in the context of getting a special class specifically. If a family moves all of a sudden, it can be difficult. One of the things the Department has been doing in the past couple of years is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: An additional 1,165 SNAs were allocated in the budget. They came on stream since January 2022 and will be allocated during the year. Sometimes what happens is that a school has an allocation of SNAs and then it may get new children with additional needs in and, therefore, it has a requirement that may not have been anticipated at the beginning. The NCSE has a criteria that it takes into...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I was simply reiterating what the law is and that is not to say we do not endeavour, because we do endeavour. It can prove really difficult and challenging. We can see that. I am not the Department myself but the Department is ad idem in what I say with regard to us trying to secure a special school place for a child in his or her own locality, neighbourhood and community. We try to do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I thank the Senator. There are a number of different queries there. On St. Colmcille National School, the Senator may be aware that I did meet with the school and with the principal outside Dáil Éireann. The school has four early intervention classes and they have made it clear privately and publicly that they want more SNAs. I met them on 16 February. They were also going to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: They are in existence. The majority of classes are for children with autism but many of them are not. The most important step to take in the case mentioned by the Senator is for the parents to speak directly to the special education needs organiser because the SENO will know where there are special classes available. That is probably the best thing to do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Deputy is certainly not raising it for favouritism. It is about providing an appropriate education for Emma. I thank the Deputy for bringing it to my attention today. I presume those are Karen's words and I can hear the frustration and the hurt to a certain extent in those words. This is the first time I have heard about this case but I will certainly look into it. The Deputy can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I appreciate it. I would rather know about instances than not because then I can bring them to the attention of the National Council for Special Education. I do not - the Department does not either nor does anybody in the National Council for Special Education - want to see any child in a situation where he or she is not receiving the education that he or she should be receiving. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: I might work backwards from the Chairman's comments. The first thing that the National Council for Special Education will endeavour to do is to find a special class place, a special school place or, indeed, a mainstream place for a child. Ideally, it would be, as I stated earlier, in the community or locality where that child lives, but that is not always possible. As I mentioned, we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: That is something I will mention to my colleague.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: The Senator asked a number of different questions. Senator Murphy mentioned earlier the slowness or reluctance that the Senator mentioned about opening special classes. It can be a cultural issue, but it can also be a suitable accommodation issue. Training and professional development is required. The NCSE provides, as I said earlier, exclusive and extensive support and training...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Education with the UNCRPD (Resumed): Discussion (3 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: In general, each school has an admissions policy and it has to be in line with the Education Act. I will follow up with the National Council for Special Education on that. On moving designation in special schools such as St. Mary's to go from mild to autism spectrum disorder, ASD, not all children in ASD primary can move. Some of them move to special schools. The Department is working...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (2 Mar 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. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (2 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (1 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: 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 (1 Mar 2022)

Josepha Madigan: 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.  In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 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 a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs. This includes additional teaching and care supports. As a result,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 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...