Results 41-60 of 623 for speaker:Síle de Valera

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I thank the Senator. He referred to the test instrument and materials and I acknowledge the difficulties involved. I do not know how we will go about putting that to rights because the measurement of those tests would necessitate a great deal of research. It is an important issue, which I will bring to the attention of the Department. It may take a long time to put it to rights but the issue...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: Section 8(2) now includes a deadline for the preparation of an education plan by the council or the health board. These plans must accommodate children with more complex needs and this will take more time. The time limit is therefore one month in which to commence the plan and a further two months for its completion. The one month suggested here is not feasible and I do not propose to accept...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: Section 8(1) provides that the council, on being informed by a health board or the principal of a relevant school that a child has special educational needs shall, unless an education plan has been or is being prepared under section 3 in respect of the child, direct the relevant special educational needs organiser to cause to be prepared a plan for the appropriate education of the child. The...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: Throughout the Bill we have made numerous points to ensure that parents have an essential role in dealing with this issue. Parents are very much involved and are part of the team which draws up the educational plan. The comhairle will address the question of advocacy services for both children and adults with a disability.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I have looked at this amendment, which was raised by Deputies Stanton and Enright when the Bill was before the Dáil, where it was well considered. Looking at the provision again in the context of the amendment I am still happy that the phrasing in section 5(1) is correct. It is a drafting issue and we have been told by the Parliamentary Counsel that this is the correct phrasing.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I understand what the Senator is trying to convey. He sees this as a weakness, with "shall" rather than "may" strengthening the provision, and from a lay person's point of view I would agree. However, we have been advised otherwise by the Parliamentary Counsel.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: Section 7(7) provides that the services of the council or the health board must be made available as soon as practicable. This was introduced on Report Stage in the Lower House when we took on board the issues there. For this reason, I consider that the amendment is unnecessary.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: The Senator is correct that a person's cultural background must be respected. That is already the case in legislation, including the Education Act and the Official Languages Act. That is why I cannot accept these amendments. It goes back to the point that was raised before and has already been accepted by Senator O'Toole.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: The amendment refers specifically to a person's cultural background and, although Senator Burke's point is a separate one, I will deal with it. He is naturally concerned as to whether there will be expertise to deal with these particular issues. I believe that there is and I also believe that there will be definite references to further teacher training, whether inservice or in teacher...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: The amendment is unnecessary. Principals must request the council to prepare an educational plan where one cannot be prepared by the school. Equally, under section 5(8), a health board must make available the statement of findings to anyone involved in the education of the child to ensure that they are informed of the child's educational needs. Therefore, I do not consider that this amendment...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: Senator Burke referred to those who emerge from teacher training colleges and do in-career training. The position in this regard is evolving not only because of the responsibilities the legislation will impose, but also because of general concerns about special education. I agree with the Senator that we need to examine in-career training and courses in teacher training colleges to equip...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: It has been suggested that parents should have power to consent to the designation of a school or to appeal a failure or refusal to make such a designation. I favour the latter approach. The Bill already permits parents, in these circumstances, to request the council to designate a school and to appeal if it fails to do this. If a particular school has been sought it will be a party to this...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I do not propose to accept this amendment because in requiring the council to have regard to geographical considerations before making a designation, it ignores the point that it must already have regard to the needs of the child and the wishes of the parents. I do not see what the amendment would add to the mix since the child's needs will, generally, be best served by proximity to the...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I agree with the Senators when they say that geographical considerations are important. Coming from a rural constituency, I have heard of a number of such cases over the years. However, the proposed legislation already requires the council to have regard to the needs of the child and to the wishes of the parents. When we talk about the needs of the child, we all accept that proximity to the...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: Section 10(2) states: In making a designation under subsection (1), the Council shall have regard to the needs of the child concerned, the wishes of the child's parents and the capacity of the school to accommodate the child and to meet his or her needs, including that capacity when the school has such additional resources made available to it as the Council recommends to the Minister...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: Throughout the debate we have been at pains to ensure there will be no delay in the delivery of services and we have accepted a number of amendments that improve the Bill in the other House. If we were to take this amendment on board, the school would be able to delay its compliance with the direction for a week for no good reason. By the same token, in some cases carrying out a review may...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: I do not accept that. There is no need for a delay in the delivery of service and we have taken a reasonable approach to this within the Bill. In such cases, there will be discussions with a number of experts in the field and they will need time to be able to deliver the service for the child involved. In so doing, we want to ensure that the service is delivered in the quickest possible way...

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: It will have power to issue a direction and there is no reason that it would not be in a position to lay down such a timescale for the case under discussion.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: The amendment is unnecessary given that section 12(1)(a)already permits an appeal against the council or a school principal on the grounds that a statement or description in an education plan is incorrect or inaccurate and section 12(1)(b) permits an appeal against a failure to implement the plan.

Seanad: Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Bill 2003: Committee Stage (Resumed). (7 Jul 2004)

Síle de Valera: This amendment cannot be accepted because, as with the other provisions dealing with time limits, this area was examined during the Bill's passage through the other House. Given the potential complexity in dealing with these matters, I am concerned about reducing the time limit to one month. The Senator might note that section 7(7) ensures that the council or the health board is not absolved...