Results 1-20 of 8,235 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: We all know the value of the summer programme and the Deputy is absolutely right. The feedback from teachers and parents is such that when children can partake in the summer programme, that regression is greatly reduced when they go back to school, which is why we have focused on it. The uptake of special schools has significantly increased, according to the inspectorate report on this. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will come back to the Deputy on that and try to delve into those figures. The Department cannot compel schools to participate in the programme because participation in the school-based summer programme is voluntary, and it is a matter for boards of management and schools to decide whether they will run the programme. What the Department has done is reach out to all schools, as we continue...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: First, we are increasing the number of SENOs from 73 to 120 and they will be in place by September this year. I will come back to the Deputy with the exact figure but it is up in the eighties at this point. The 120 will be in place for the coming school year beginning in September 2024. What is really important about the role of the SENOs and the feedback we got from the NCSE was that they...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I can come back in with further details.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I concur on the anxiety and that parents need the reassurance of knowing their child has a place for the upcoming school year. We really do not want to be in this position again. Parents need to know early in the year where their child is going to be that coming September and that is why the resourcing of the NCSE is so important. Today, I have written to a number of schools in the Dublin...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputy for her question. I am delighted that funding of €40 million has been secured again this year to ensure a comprehensive summer programme is available in 2024. The funding of €40 million is designed to cover the full costs associated with the summer programme. On that particular issue, parents should not be asked to make financial contributions to the summer...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: When we reached out to schools in order to increase the numbers partaking, we asked them what the barriers to doing the summer programme were. The issues that came up were the rate of pay for teachers and SNAs. We have increased the rate of pay for teachers and SNAs. We have opened up a portal because some of the schools were saying they could not get the teachers or the SNAs. A portal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: My Department works closely with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. In the budget, we secured funding for up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools and an additional 300 special school places for the 2024-25 school year. This will deliver 2,700 new places for children. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: My Department, directly and through the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, provides a range of supports in schools for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. This includes additional teachers, specialist equipment and access to SNA support, depending on the child's level of assessed needs. In Ireland, we have two established schools for the deaf. They are Holy Family School...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: On visiting teachers, in recent years resource restrictions and associated high caseloads have impacted on the time visiting teachers have per student. However, we are turning a corner in relation to that. For example, the recent deployment of two visiting teachers for the deaf or hard-of-hearing in Dublin has led to a decrease in caseloads in the area of up to 40% in some cases. This...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: The two new roles support the work of the class teachers and complement other teaching and care support provided for targeted students. They will play a pivotal role into the future. As the Deputy said, the positions were originally advertised by the NCSE in 2022. However, there was a poor response to the recruitment campaign and only two advisers and specialist classroom support personnel...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to thank the deputy for the question. In some jurisdictions, classroom assistants are the main provider of support to children and young people with educational needs, classroom assistants are not a feature of the education system in Ireland. Research findings indicate that educational outcomes for many of those who receive considerable support from classroom assistants are...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I recently announced the establishment of the Educational Therapy Support Service which will see the permanent appointment of 39 occupational and speech and language therapists, as well as 5 behaviour practitioners to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). Therapists will work with teachers and other school personnel to build their capacity to provide as effectively as possible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: My department and the NCSE work closely on forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places including for the 2024/25 school year. Demand for special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly and my department and the NCSE have engaged with stakeholders on the provision of special classes. Over 386 new special classes have been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I recently announced the establishment of the Educational Therapy Support Service which will see the permanent appointment of 39 occupational and speech and language therapists, as well as 5 behaviour practitioners to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). Therapists will work with teachers and other school personnel to build their capacity to provide as effectively as possible...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: iScoil is a registered charity which is currently jointly funded by the Presentation Sisters and the Department of Education. iScoil provides educational supports to children and young people who are either eligible for or are already receiving support from my Department under the medical strand of the Special Education Home Tuition Grant Scheme. During the academic year 2023/2024, the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Details of the 2024 Summer Programme were published on the 21st March 2024. Funding of €40m is available and, as in previous years, all of the funding is utilised to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children. All schools, including post primary schools, have an opportunity to run a programme over the summer months for those children who need it the most. These children can...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (11 Jul 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: Under section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012) the board of management is the employer of teachers and other staff of the school. The board’s role as an employer includes responsibility for the recruitment and dismissal of teachers and other staff within the school, subject to relevant Department circulars, employment legislation and...