I understand that is was recently approved for additional mainstream accommodation and resource teaching. The NCSE is engaging with the school. We are putting about 360 additional special education teachers and 620 SNAs to all the special classes. The NCSE says there are sufficient places within existing special classes now but that is subject to change. The ongoing engagement between the NCSE through its SENOs with the school will be pertinent.

I commend the school on taking the initiative to contact the NCSE in the first instance. If the NCSE agrees in future to open a special class, if there is demand, it and the Department give funding either to reconfigure accommodation or to provide new accommodation. It is also important to stress that when a school is opening a special class, there are additional grants. There is a start-up grant of about €6,500, there is an ICT grant that I think is €6,700, and there are a number of other grants as well. We are al…

The summer provision is extremely important. This year, we doubled the funding, from €20 million last year to €40 million. Some 81,000 children are eligible along with 4,000 schools. A total of 939 schools participated this year, in an increase of 72% on last year, which is considerable. We had 36,672 pupils, which is an increase of 60%. We recognise the risk of regression, which we said we were concerned about from the start of the pandemic. We wanted to mitigate against that, which is why we wanted expanded, enha…

I thank Senator Currie for her acknowledgement of the resources provided for in the budget. As the Minister of State with responsibility for special education, it was very important to me that we put extra resources into children's additional educational needs of which we are aware there is a whole spectrum. Some 90% of children with additional needs are in mainstream education. If a child has a more complex need he or she will go into a special class, and if it is more severe again the child would go into a specia…

I should clarify that in general, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and behavioural therapists come from the HSE. The NCSE can sanction it. The most important aspect is that there is engagement and discussion, and the fact that the NCSE is going out next week and will offer a bespoke solution for the school. It is important that the Senator has highlighted the issue today. The NCSE is aware that I am in the House today and that the matter has been brought up, and we will look at it in the roun…

I thank Deputy Lowry for his question. Obviously, as Minister responsible for special education, I take the matter very seriously. We must always have an adequate number of places in special classes. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is tasked, through its special educational needs organisers, SENOs, with working with schools on the ground to make sure every child with additional needs can make the transition from primary school to post-primary school. If we consider the progress we have made since …

I move: That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the following Order in draft: Sectoral Employment Order(Construction Sector) 2021, a copy of which has been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 20th October, 2021, be referred to the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, in accordance with Standing Order 95(5), which, not later than 16th November, 2021, shall send a message to the Dáil in the manner prescribed in Standing Order 101, and Standing Order 100(2) shall accordingly apply.

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I will always endeavour to respond Topical Issue matters that are relevant to me. This matter is partly the responsibility of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. The special education element comes under my remit. I recognise the challenge that schools are facing regarding the wider issue of substitution. I will come to the special education issue in a minute. The Department has put in place a range of measures to provide enhanced substitute cover in the context of th…

On the question of substitution in general, I have outlined the measures being taken. There is the question of hours being lost. One of the schemes we introduced is the Covid Learning and Support Scheme, CLASS, at €56.2 million, which is to help children who lost time during Covid-19. That is in addition to the summer provision and the supplementary scheme at Easter. If children with additional needs have lost hours, as the Deputy mentions, although I will not comment on individual cases, it should first be brought…

I welcome the opportunity to discuss the report of the Citizens' Assembly on Gender Equality. Dr. Catherine Day and the 99 assembly members should be commended on their work on and dedication to producing this report in the most challenging of circumstances. Their work may have come to an end but this report marks the beginning, or in some areas the continuation, of our efforts to set Ireland on a path to becoming a world leader in challenging gender-based discrimination in all of its forms. For many decades, Irish…

The Tánaiste does not interrupt you, Deputy Ó Broin.

I am very pleased to mark one of the largest special education budgets we have ever seen in the history of the State and a really big investment in core education supports. Next year we will spend in excess of €2 billion, or more than 20% of the entire departmental budget, on special education, representing a 50% increase since 2011. Budget 2022 will provide 980 special education teachers and 1,165 new SNAs to schools next year. These new posts will allow us to meet demand for new school and special class places an…

I thank Senator McGahon for giving me the opportunity to talk about greenways and blueways, on behalf of the Minister for Transport. It is important to note that the development of greenways in County Louth is first and foremost the responsibility of Louth County Council, which the Senator referenced. The county council should liaise with Transport Infrastructure Ireland as it has recently taken over the responsibility to develop the roll-out of greenways under the Strategy for the Future Development of National an…

The Senator is correct that it is important to have ongoing collaboration and engagement between the various different agencies, in particular Louth County Council, with Transport Infrastructure Ireland. As I said, two greenways are being constructed - Carlingford to Templetown, and Carlingford to Newry. Blueways are a matter for Waterways Ireland and it is worth Louth County Council engaging with Waterways Ireland when it comes to developments. As the Senator alluded to, the Louth coastal greenway would be of huge…

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. I thank Senator Kyne for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline what is happening in regard to the schools he mentioned. The major building project for Scoil Mhuire, Moycullen, of which I am aware Senator Kyne is an alumni so I am sure the school is delighted he is representing it here in the Seanad, is included in the Department’s construction programme which is being delivered under the national developmen…

I apologise for the misunderstanding. I understood the green space was for Scoil Mhuire, Moycullen, but it obviously is for Scoil Chaitríona. I will take back the Senator's comments to the Department. My understanding is that both schools are to be included in the Department's school building programme and the national development plan. The accommodation brief is being developed, but it probably needs to be done at a faster pace. I will speak to the departmental officials on that. As I said earlier, Scoil Mhuire wi…

A cháirde, I am very grateful to Members of this House for allowing me the opportunity to speak today on the important occasion of Dyslexia Awareness Week. It is an important moment to take stock of where we are as a society in ensuring support and inclusivity is provided to those with dyslexia in our society. It also provides an opportunity to raise awareness and further develop our understanding about dyslexia and what can be done to further support people who have dyslexia. While it is very common it is also imp…

Pablo Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci, Michael Heseltine, Agatha Christie, John Lennon, Whoopi Goldberg, Albert Einstein and Noel Gallagher are the names that I got this evening of people who have or had dyslexia. As many Senators have pointed out, dyslexia is not a lack of intelligence or, as Senator Boyhan said, an impediment to not just progressing in life, but also achieving extraordinary things. It was wonderful to hear the Senators' contributions, which will help me as Minister of State with responsibility for spe…

I welcome this opportunity to discuss the importance of early learning and childcare. I support the Government's amendment. As public representatives and family members, we all know the importance of early learning and childcare. The early years are the most formative period in any child's life. Quality childcare is important in ensuring that parents and guardians can return to work if they wish. After both of my sons, I returned to work after eight weeks. I appreciated the value of good childcare. It is important.…

I understand that the Department of Education is aware of this case. It is important that we provide adequate therapists within schools. We are working with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, on this issue. Workforce planning is also required to ensure we have sufficient new therapists coming on stream. Suffice it to say, the Department is aware of this case and will engage with the parents as, I understand, it is already doing on an ongoing basis.