Results 421-440 of 1,039,216 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin OR speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Maurice Quinlivan OR speaker:Cian O'Callaghan) in 'Committee meetings'

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

Joan Collins: I have looked back at the announcements made last December when the previous Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, stated that the Department would increase services into the schools. The Minister of State said the NCSE announced a new campaign on 16 October 2023 to recruit additional special education needs organisers and this recruitment is well under way. Can she tell me how many additional...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Mairead Farrell: My Sinn Féin colleagues brought forward the Education (Voluntary Contributions) Bill in 2021. I understand that the Minister did not oppose this Bill, but she has not acted upon it. That Bill would have placed an obligation on schools to make clear to families that contributions are voluntary. It would ensure that no child is stigmatised or denied opportunities because their parents...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I will conclude on the initiatives already outlined to support parents. The free school book scheme, the reduced costs for school transport, the removal of exam fees at junior cycle and leaving certificate, the introduction of DEIS supports at a cost of €180 million and the roll-out of the hot school meals scheme are all initiatives to support parents within our schools. We...

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

Special Educational Needs

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

Peter Fitzpatrick: 64. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to raising this issue on Leaders' Questions in May, what steps have been taken to amend assault leave entitlements to ensure that SNAs have equal provision of health and safety leave, and to ensure that teachers' and SNAs' income is fully protected for the duration of their medically certified leave (details supplied); and if she will...

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

Peter Fitzpatrick: I raised this issue during Leaders' Questions in May. Have any steps been taken to amend assault leave entitlements to ensure SNAs have equal provision of health and safety leave and to ensure the incomes of teachers and SNAs are fully protected for the duration of their medically certified leave? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

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

Norma Foley: Under section 18 of the Maternity Protection Act 1994, an employee who is pregnant or breastfeeding may be granted maternity health and safety leave from her employment where, following a risk assessment by her employer, a risk has been identified which is not possible to remove from the work environment and where it is not possible to move the employee - an SNA, in this instance - to...

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

Pauline Tully: Thank you, Minister. Time is up.

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

Peter Fitzpatrick: SNAs are being denied equal health and safety leave provisions in employment. The potential risks for injury are greater for SNAs due to the physical element of their job. There is a clear disparity between the provision afforded to teachers and that afforded to SNAs. SNAs work with children with a range of care needs, many of whom exhibit extremely challenging behaviour that requires...

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

Norma Foley: I acknowledge the enormously positive work carried out every single day by our SNAs. The Deputy referred to two different types of leave. I have outlined the situation with regard to maternity health and safety leave. For clarity I will reference the second type, which is assault leave. Where an SNA is injured as a result of physical contact from a third party, causing physical injury in...

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

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister for her reply. A lot of good work is being done in education. There are a lot more teachers and SNAs. There is a lot of early intervention and children with problems are being diagnosed early. I appreciate the Minister's response but all the SNAs are looking for is the same treatment as teachers. As I have said, they play a very important role in the future...

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

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. I am fully appreciative of the excellent work that is done by teachers, SNAs, school secretaries, caretakers and school leaders every day in our schools. If a member of staff is pregnant, under no circumstances would we want them to be challenged in any way in the school environment. Therefore, we have the health and safety aspect of it and, equally, the Deputy...

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

Pauline Tully: Thank you, Minister.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

School Transport

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

Michael Collins: 65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there will be extra funding for school transport for the 2024-25 school year. [30880/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

Michael Collins: We have been pleading with the Department for a long time for an answer for the students who are requesting a bus from Bantry to Schull Community College. Thirty-one children need this bus service. Will the Minister announce today that this bus service will be made available, giving relief to parents and children from the Bantry area?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023-24 school year more than 161,600 children, including 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post-primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine, were transported on a daily basis...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Seán Canney: The overall spend is very high, and rightly so, because this is about education, which is fundamental to every person in the country. Focusing on primary schools and national schools, the big problem is that there was a cut to the capitation grant. Basically, that cut has not been restored. Looking at the capitation grant for national schools compared to what is available for secondary...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Funding (11 Jul 2024)

Norma Foley: I appreciate there are challenges right across society and particularly in our schools. In recognition of that, we have seen, as I have outlined, an almost 35% increase being made available to the Department of Education in the budget. We currently have €10.9 billion, which is the third highest allocation across Government Departments. On foot of that, we have seen a considerable...