Results 1-20 of 6,068 for speaker:Michael Moynihan

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Deputy for his question and Deputy McAuliffe for his interest in this matter. I thank both Deputies for their continuing interest in education. It is hugely important that it is brought to the fore in the House. Education is a hugely important part of everyone's life, so it is hugely important that we strive to get it right. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The review of the EPSEN Act was very important research. I commend all those who helped with the review. Launched recently, it provides very good information, including on additional needs. Teacher and SNA recruitment is kept under constant review by the Department. Many of the boards of management of schools and education and training boards are conducting interviews in these weeks to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: We have had many discussions in recent weeks. The Deputy mentioned the deputation from the Down Syndrome Ireland Galway branch who were here yesterday to discuss mild general learning classes. ASD classes are opening across the country based on the need being presented. We have to be mindful of children with other additional needs and ensuring they are accommodated within the school...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I have some personal experience of Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí that opened special classes, and they would be taught through the medium of Irish. What the Deputy has said has been brought to our attention before by people, but it is clear that it is whatever the medium is in the school, in this case the medium of Irish. Some of the schools operating special classes are hugely...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The NCSE is the statutory agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. The NCSE has sanctioned 407 new special classes for the coming school year, of which 398 are autism special classes while three are autism early intervention classes. This brings to 3,742 the number of special classes in our schools. The NCSE has advised my Department that an updated list of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I assure the Deputy that the figures in relation to the number of classes being opened around the country are correct. On the individual school the Deputy mentioned, I am very happy to take the details from her after the session and I will work with her to try to get a satisfactory conclusion to it. I have no difficulty in doing that. I have to say that the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I thank the Deputy very much for the question. The National Council for Special Education is the statutory agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. The National Council for Special Education has sanctioned 407 new special classes for the coming year, bringing the total number of special classes in our schools to 3,742. Combined with 300 new special school...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The NCSE is working intensively with the parents and schools concerned. The school the Deputy has referred to is one such school. The NCSE engaged with the school to secure agreement to open classes. The NCSE visited the school in September 2024 and, with the support of the school patron body, it worked to sanction two classes. We can now confirm that the issues that were the subject...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: It is very important to be fair to the NCSE, the Department and ourselves. A deadline of February was put in place. Parents needed to make contact by that deadline. We worked to those figures. A number of children have come forward post the February deadline in recent weeks. We are actively engaging with those families and with schools in their communities to ensure children are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I take the point on starting the process earlier. I always say that from 15 August it becomes school bus ticket time. A large number of tickets are processed every day by the Department and Bus Éireann. A great deal of work is being done on this . A lot of work has been done on the entire school transport system and expanding it. I take the point that a large number of students...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. In the current school year, more than 173,000 children have been transported daily in approximately 8,200 vehicles across 10,600 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. In relation to the number of children who applied and paid...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: School transport is hugely important for every schoolgoing child at primary and post-primary level. When the school transport scheme was introduced, it was for families who may have been without transport. Now, it is because of working families. We need to make sure they avail of it and that there are enough buses for it. There is an ambitious programme as part of School Transport...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: It is my department’s policy, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that students with additional learning needs to the greatest extent possible, attend mainstream classes along with their siblings, neighbours and peers, with additional supports provided as necessary. My department provides over 15,000 special education teachers to support schools to achieve...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the national agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. This year the NCSE has sanctioned 407 new special classes for the coming school year bringing to 3,742 the number of special classes in our schools. There are new classes in every county in Ireland and with the number of special classes doubling in the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: This government is committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their potential. SNAs play a central role in the inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential. The number of SNAs has increased annually with more than ever now employed in our schools....

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. It is important to recognise that teachers use a number of specialist programmes to support students with special educational needs. At all times, the focus of the department and the NCSE is on doing what is right for...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 140 together. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs, including the allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs). The NCSE has advised my department that all schools have been informed of their SNA allocation for the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: I want to thank the Deputy for raising this issue and understand that while it refers to all children in the school system, there are specific concerns here for children with special educational needs, particularly at post primary level, who might find a large classroom busy and noisy and prefer smaller settings. Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: The government is committed to the provision of additional special school places for children with more complex educational needs. Over 300 new special school places are being provided for the coming 2025/2026 school year. Five new special schools are being established in addition to the eleven new special schools opened over the last few years. Special school capacity is also being expanded...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Moynihan: There are 63 special classes for pupils with significant speech issues in mainstream primary schools. They provide a time-limited, targeted intervention for children with severe impairments in their skills of understanding and expressing themselves through spoken language. The Department’s Inspectorate published a report on the quality of provision for children attending these...