Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
107,469 records match, page 2778 of 4299.
I thank the Minister for his answer. On that basis, Minister, will you give further reassurance to classroom assistants that you will continually consult with their trade unions and ensure that their pay and conditions and future pathways reflect their vital role in the classroom?
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Assessment details for Debate contribution: Classroom Assistants Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Classroom Assistants
I absolutely agree with the Member. They are deeply valued. I suspect that the question goes back to the statement that I made on the reform of special educational needs. I outlined clearly that principals whom I meet have said, "I can support our children and young people in a more effective manner that is beneficial…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Classroom Assistants Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Classroom Assistants
I thank the Member for that, and I encourage him and other Members to continue to ask those challenging questions of all our public bodies around efficiency, because I ask the questions of all my arm's-length bodies that are accountable to my Department. Please continue to ask those questions. The Education Authority…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Education Authority: Efficiency Savings Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Education Authority: Efficiency Savings
I thank the Minister for his answer and for that detail. I do not doubt that efficiency savings are a priority in each budget-setting process. Perhaps now, with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the EA approaching, this would be a timely opportunity to review what further efficiency savings and reductions…
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Assessment details for Debate contribution: Education Authority: Efficiency Savings Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Education Authority: Efficiency Savings
The Education Authority landscape review, which was published in June 2022, gave a comprehensive review of EA's overall operation and governance and the extent to which it effectively delivered against the Executive and departmental priorities when it was established in April 2015. That included an assessment of the…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Education Authority: Efficiency Savings Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Education Authority: Efficiency Savings
I thank the Member for the opportunity to continue, because I was running out of time. We have also commissioned NISRA, which is undertaking a major household survey. That will provide us with information through data that has been collected from the childcare subsidy. That will inform our next steps as we develop the…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Childcare and Early Years Provision Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Childcare and Early Years Provision
I thank the Minister for that fantastic answer. Can you provide any assurance about the continuation of the childcare subsidy scheme? I have received a number of emails from parents who have benefited from the scheme and welcome it but want to know whether it will continue into the next financial year.
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Assessment details for Debate contribution: Childcare and Early Years Provision Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Childcare and Early Years Provision
I thank the Member for this opportunity because, whilst I could not take part in the debate earlier, I sat in for a good hour. It is useful for Members to be reminded of the significant work that the Department and my party have driven forward in the past year. When we took up office, we secured £25 million of…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Childcare and Early Years Provision Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Childcare and Early Years Provision
I thank the Member for the invitation to speak to children. I say this to them: schools are a great opportunity for you to develop socially and educationally. We will be there to support you to overcome the barriers that you may have for not wanting to be at school. They can be varied, but support is there. A huge…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: School Refusers Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: School Refusers
Thank you, Minister. Some of the children who spoke to me to about their reasons for staying off mentioned bullying, anxiety and awaiting ADHD and autism assessments that would help them in the classroom. What is your Department doing to address those issues, and what do you say to children who are at home today when…
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Assessment details for Debate contribution: School Refusers Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: School Refusers
I do not have the precise figures, but the Member highlights an issue that is of concern and on which we are proactively engaging. If you are not in school, you are not able to gain the benefits of that educational environment. Driving up attendance rates is an important issue for us. The situation has been…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: School Refusers Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: School Refusers
I thank the Member for that, because he is right: making sure that the teaching profession and support staff have the confidence to know how to react in certain situations is important. We are reviewing the medication in schools guidance to make sure that it is as up to date as possible and that there is support in…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools
I thank the Member for her original question. Whilst we know that children and parents face significant challenges in dealing with severe allergies, additional stress is also put on teaching staff who have to administer medication and, often, feel under-equipped to do so. Can the Minister outline whether those steps…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools
I thank the Member for raising the issue. Through the census return of 2022-23, we were able to identify that just over 3,000 children were recorded as having anaphylaxis as a medical condition. Her constituent is an example of the 3,000 children in a similar position. There is already provision of departmental…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools
Thank you, Minister. I have been working with a young girl who has anaphylaxis. She is allergic to milk, dairy, eggs and nuts, which is a lot, and has really struggled with the inclusion service. Given what parents with children who have food allergies have to go through and the stress that it entails, the Food…
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Assessment details for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools
The Education Authority's special educational needs inclusion service medical needs team operates a central point of contact for schools and parents who have questions around the inclusion of children with medical needs, including those with allergies and anaphylaxis. The Education Authority advises that, in many…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Allergy Support: Schools
I outlined the process for area planning. It is critical that the managing authorities look at that kind of information and plan for and address what the needs will be in their community. They must also look at the particular sectors to make sure that provide parental choice in that regard. I responded to an…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast
Minister, in your answer to Paula Bradshaw, you talked about the statistics for South Belfast. Are you, your Department and the Education Authority actively looking at the huge increase in housing that we will see in South Belfast? On the stretch up the Saintfield Road to Four Winds, Newtownbreda and Carryduff,…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast
I am happy to speak on that, Mr Speaker. I thank the Member for the work that she does to represent her constituents. I understand that such decisions can be difficult. A number of decisions were taken last week that caused controversy, and a lot of views were expressed on them. Amongst those, I closed schools, one of…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast
Hopefully, the Speaker will allow me some latitude for this question, as it points to school places. Last week, the Minister made a decision on closing Lack Primary School. I have spoken to a number of parents who are concerned about the lack of school places in controlled schools in the area. Will the Minister act to…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast
That is a valid point. I know about that from my constituency, where there are two grammar schools that are heavily oversubscribed, so that often people are not able to get into the school of their choice, which, at times, creates frustration. The issue that the Member has articulated in relation to South Belfast is…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast
I thank the Minister for his answer. As you know, Minister, the grammar schools in particular in South Belfast are popular not just with those in the constituency but those from neighbouring constituencies. What consideration is given to that? The children of a lot of the families that I represent cannot get into…
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Assessment details for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast
Area planning is the process of strategic planning of primary and post-primary education provision. The process has been developed to support the implementation of the sustainable schools policy. The Department requires the statutory planning authorities — the Education Authority and the Council for Catholic…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Post-Primary Enrolment: South Belfast
I am not aware of salary being an issue in attracting people to Irish-medium schools. There is an issue with how we make sure that people who are qualified and proficient in the Irish language are able to deliver education through that medium. The Department recognises that that is a particular issue for Irish-medium…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Teachers: 2024-25 Pay Award and Threat of Industrial Action Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Teachers: 2024-25 Pay Award and Threat of Industrial Action
Minister, many Irish-medium schools have voiced their frustration that teachers make more money in the South of Ireland. Therefore, we lose a lot of our Irish-speaking teachers to the South. Will a pay award that increases salaries be enough to keep teachers in the North? What further steps will your Department take?
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Teachers: 2024-25 Pay Award and Threat of Industrial Action Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Teachers: 2024-25 Pay Award and Threat of Industrial Action
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