Results 1-20 of 1,019,350 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Thomas Gould OR speaker:Gerald Nash)

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The Minister of State has obviously been very busy, for which I thank her.

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Joan Collins: I received an email from the Dublin 12 Campaign 4 Autism Inclusion about today's debate. The group asked me to raise special education provision in the Crumlin and Drimnagh areas. They feel they have been forgotten, even though a special needs school, for which they campaigned, opened in Crumlin recently. They say that Dublin 12 still needs autism classes, especially at secondary schools...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: I start by thanking the NCSE for assisting me with a very serious and complex case in County Clare. A child was left with no school place, which was a very serious and time-pressured situation, but I am happy to say the child now has a place. The NCSE was a great help in that case. I have raised previously the need for better forward planning for autism classes in post-primary schools....

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Deputies from all sides of the House for their contributions this afternoon. I share their desire to do more for our children and young people with special educational needs. I share their desire to do more for our children and young people in special education. Deputies referred to a number of specific areas and cases. I will ask the Department to review their queries and...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Thomas Pringle: I welcome the opportunity to participate in this debate on special educational needs provision for vulnerable children. I welcome the Minister of State and wish her the best of luck in her new job. It is important that this issue is debated, although when we read the Minister of State's comments, we would have been forgiven for wondering why it should be discussed in the House when...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this very important issue. I congratulate the Minister of State on her new position and responsibility. It is a very serious and senior position with a lot of responsibility and issues that need very urgent attention and results in a short space of time. Right across County Kildare, north and south but particularly in north Kildare, there is huge...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: It is welcome that we are having this discussion. The problem is that we could probably all operate on the basis of 25 minutes each and deal with multiple issues we all have spinning in our constituencies of parents who have come to us in absolutely dreadful need of services, places in schools and all that is needed when they are dealing with their kids with disabilities. First, I need to...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Thank you, Deputy.

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: -----good enough. There is an appeals process but I am very worried that we do not take into account complex needs and those with other additional resources-----

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Thank you, Deputy.

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: -----they are getting at the moment that might not fall into that bracket but could end up in a bracket on the basis of not getting supports. Like everyone else, I have received a huge amount of correspondence from parents and grandparents with kids with autism-----

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Thank you, Deputy.

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: -----Down's syndrome and others who require these services. We need to get a hell of a lot better at all of this.

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: The Deputy is getting very good at extending his time anyway. He is very good at that.

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: Déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall mo chuid ama a úsáid. I wish the Minister of State well in her post and look forward to engaging with her. The whole situation is very sad. There is nothing more frustrating than young children and adult children waiting for services who cannot get them. Money is being pumped into the system. There is not doubt about that, but there...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: People Before Profit requested this debate at a meeting of the Business Committee. We are glad it is happening. We requested it because, like everybody else, we are being inundated by families who are concerned for the welfare of their children. It is clear that the State - the Government - is failing children with additional needs and disabilities. That is an unacceptable moral failure...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Martin Browne: I welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter because only last weekend there was a public demonstration organised by parents who are continuing to encounter significant difficulties in getting school placements for their children. Every year, we come across the same range of challenges facing parents who are seeking a suitable school place for their children. The reason for this is a...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Martin Kenny: For most people, having a child with a disability is a major cause of stress. The struggle they go through to try to find a class for them, education facilities and all of that adds to the stress. The experience for these people is that they have to fight all the way for what they need. That should not be the case in a wealthy and well-designed democratic system. We should have an...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: I call Deputy O'Reilly. The Deputy is sharing time with Deputy Ó Laoghaire.

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Who I am hoping is on his way. I will hold the time anyway until my colleague gets here; half of it is mine. I listened with some interest - I know she is not here now - to the Minister of State's backbench colleague absolutely decrying the cut her own Government made to summer provision. The irony of that is not lost on me, nor will it be lost on the parents of kids with special needs in...