Latest news with #SNAs
BreakingNews.ie
24-07-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
‘A chance to take a break': McEntee defends length of school summer holidays
The Education Minister has defended the length of schools' summer holidays, saying they offer people a chance to 'take a break'. Helen McEntee acknowledged that it was a challenge for parents in need of childcare, and any decision on changing the length of the school year would require a considered approach. Advertisement There has been some commentary in recent weeks that the length of the school holidays – three months for secondary schools and two months for primary – are out of date, as Ireland has some of the longest school breaks in Europe. Visiting a Clondalkin primary school on Thursday, where children were taking part in a summer programme for two weeks, Ms McEntee said: 'I'm here in a school where you have principals, teachers, SNAs, who are working and supporting children throughout the summer. Education Minister Helen McEntee at St Mary's Junior National School in Clondalkin, Dublin (Grainne Ni Aodha/PA) 'We've always had a particular time period for school holidays. 'What we find, particularly for our secondary schools, is that they're actually coming back earlier now, in August, so the Leaving Cert results will be out from the 22nd, some students are actually in that week and, in fact, the following week is when a lot of schools are coming back. Advertisement 'Our teachers work hard, our schools are very active throughout the year. I think the time that's taken throughout the summer gives everybody a chance to take a break.' The children at St Mary's Junior National School learn literacy and numerical skills, and how to bake, as part of the summer programme, which gives educational support to children, including those with special educational needs. They can also paint in the school's outdoor wooden classroom, called the sun room, which was funded by the Arts Council. Ms McEntee said 1,800 schools are taking part in the summer programme this year, including 80 special schools, a 16% increase on last year. Advertisement Helen McEntee (seated centre) acknowledged that it was a challenge for parents in need of childcare (Grainne Ni Aodha/PA) Asked if the activity of the summer programme suggested the summer break was too long, she said the programme initially began 'with a particular emphasis on special education'. 'For children with additional needs, to have that structure and to have that focus, is really, really important. 'And I think there was an acknowledgement that to have that extra support throughout the summer is something that would be hugely beneficial, not just for the students, but also for the parents. 'It's obviously since expanded, it's not just a focus on special schools or additional needs, it's a focus on our DEIS schools, making sure that where children – and it's not all children that access the programme – but if there is that need there to have that extra support, that structure throughout the summer, it's there. Advertisement 'It's also fun. 'I do acknowledge, I have to say, the challenges for parents when it comes to childcare, when it comes to the fact that in many households you have both parents working now full time, so the summer does pose challenges. 'But you know, I think any changes to summer breaks, any changes to holidays, that's something that would always have to be considered in engagement and consultation with schools, with teachers, with parents, with families overall.' Ms McEntee also announced a National Convention on Education, to inform a long-term strategy for primary and secondary education in Ireland. Advertisement Professor Anne Looney, who will chair the convention, said in a statement she was looking forward to being involved in ensuring 'we give our learners and those who work with them the best opportunities to flourish and succeed'.
Irish Independent
17-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
New special school for North Cork
The timeline for making applications to the new special school closed earlier this month and the Cork Education and Training Board is now making offers of places. A principal and deputy principal have been recruited and the recruitment of teaching staff and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) is in progress. Capacity is also being expanded at two other special schools in Cork. The East Cork Community Special School in Carrigtwohill will have an extra 24 places for the coming school year, using accommodation at Fota Business Park. Rochestown Community Special School will have 18 extra places. The scope of works has been completed there and a contractor has commenced on site. Education Minister Helen McEntee and Minister for Special Education and Youth Michael Moynihan brought a memo to Cabinet this week announcing 407 additional special classes in schools across the country for the coming school year, including 56 across Cork. Special schools support students with more severe and/or complex special educational needs in cases where a full-time mainstream placement would not be in the student's best interest.
Scoop
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Farmers Welcome Halt To New Plan Changes
The decision that councils will be stopped from rushing through new restrictive plan changes is welcome news to farmers, Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper says. "Councils across New Zealand have been continuing to push ahead with new district plans that put farms under restrictive overlays, such as Outstanding Natural Landscapes and Significant Natural Areas. "This is despite the fact any plan changes may only have a shelf life of months, given the Government intends to pass a new Resource Management Act next year. "It's a huge waste of time - and ratepayers' money." The Waitaki District, for example, has a proposed plan change that would see over 200,000 hectares of private land under landscape overlays, and creates 329 Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) covering over 7000ha of private land. "Once a farmer has an overlay like an Outstanding Natural Landscape (ONL) on their farm, it creates huge uncertainty over how they can use their land. "Basic activities like putting in a new fence or farm race may require resource consent. Under some council proposed plans, building a new house or shed is nearly impossible," Hooper says. "Farm values under an ONL can drop considerably too, meaning regulation has the effect of taking property rights and value away from farmers." Work on these new rules is pointless when the current RMA will be scrapped within 12 months, Hooper says. "All the councils are doing is creating angst and confusion, and wasting bucketloads of ratepayer money. "Federated Farmers welcomes the Government stepping in and calling a halt on this today. "We trust a new RMA, based on property rights, won't allow councils to take basic property rights away from farmers in the form of restrictive overlays. "Halting plan changes now avoids councils rushing to put in new red tape before a new RMA is in place."
RTÉ News
19-06-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Ministers publish document outlining education plans
The Minister for Education and Youth and Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion have published a document outlining their plans this year for education. Helen McEntee said 'Education Plan 2025' outlined a significant body of work "to deliver for everyone in our school and youth services' communities". The plan includes the establishment of a promised new education therapy service which will see therapists return to working in special schools in the next school year. Children attending special schools used to have access to supports such as occupational and speech and language therapies in their school but this service was removed in recent years, and now work is being done to reinstate access. The two ministers said they intend that the National Council for Special Education will commence work with an aim to provide 90 therapists to work in 45 special schools in the next school year, starting initially with occupational and speech and language therapists. Minister McEntee said supporting children with additional needs and tackling educational disadvantage were "key priorities" of hers. The minister said she would work with schools to reduce the costs they are facing, and also work to reduce costs faced by parents, such as the cost of uniforms. She said consultation with parents would be a key feature. Minister Michael Moynihan said work to finalise the SNA workforce development plan was ongoing and would help pave the way for how best to support SNAs in the future, while also ensuring appropriate supports are in place to facilitate attendance and participation by all children in school. The plan sets out the actions which will be implemented each quarter by the Department. Half-year progress reports will be published, with a new plan published each year.
The Spinoff
15-06-2025
- Business
- The Spinoff
Will a voluntary ‘nature credits' market really help biodiversity?
The idea is for businesses to fund conservation projects and benefit from the eco-friendly association. The government sees potential and wants to get involved, but how much difference can such a scheme actually make? Late last week, associate minister for the environment Andrew Hoggard announced the government was 'supporting the expansion of the voluntary credits nature market [sic]'. Details were scarce on what the government's role would be, but in a press release, Hoggard said, 'We want to connect those caring for the land with investors who support conservation. Nature credit markets help fund trusted environmental projects that actively protect and restore ecosystems.' The press release mentioned nine voluntary nature credits market pilots, conservation projects such as restoring exotic forestry or farmland to native bush. One of those is a partnership between Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, a Waikato wildlife reserve that has struggled with funding issues, and environmental financing business Ekos, which began in 2022. 'This represents a significant move away from reliance on traditional grant funding and towards private sector investment to support New Zealand's biodiversity future,' said Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari CEO Helen Hughes in response to Hoggard's announcement. Hoggard suggested the voluntary nature credits market would act as an alternative to the SNA (Significant Natural Areas) framework of the National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity, following the government's 2024 suspension of the requirement for councils to map SNAs on private land, a move that was widely criticised. 'Farmers and other private landowners are doing their part to protect native biodiversity and want to do more. Supporting voluntary natural credits markets is a chance for the government to show them the carrot, not just the stick,' said Hoggard. 'We will test the role for government which may include setting principles, and a framework for standards, to build market confidence and ensure quality.' So what are 'nature credits' or 'biodiversity credits'? The concept is based on the existing 'carbon credits' market. Under that framework, businesses that wish to recognise the CO2 they emit into the atmosphere that is otherwise difficult to immediately address can voluntarily buy carbon credits as a contribution to climate action. The money from buying carbon credits goes towards environmental projects that remove or mitigate the release of CO2. Voluntary credits can be configured in different ways, and include nature and other co-benefits which are recognised in the price per tonne of CO2 of the credits. Biodiversity credits are similar, but instead of offsetting actions that have negative effects on the environment, they seek to provide an opportunity for businesses to finance positive environmental action. A large barrier to lasting conservation action is money. Planting trees, pest control and protecting wildlife comes at no small cost, and these efforts need to be financed somehow. Introducing: biodiversity credits. To generate a biodiversity credit, actions need to be undertaken that demonstrably improve biodiversity, and by investing in biodiversity credits and financing such activity, businesses can associate themselves with an eco-friendly image. But how much difference do biodiversity credits actually make? Many concerns with the concept of biodiversity credits stem from existing issues within the voluntary carbon credits markets. Far too often carbon credits have been sold to finance environmental efforts that have little real effect on the environment, meaning that businesses get all of the positive publicity for helping the environment, without properly addressing the negative climate impacts of their company. Some criticise carbon credits as a 'pay-to-win' system, allowing businesses to just throw money at the climate crisis and engage in greenwashing – pretending to be an eco-friendly company before actually doing anything positive for the planet. The biodiversity credits system presents a similar risk if not regulated properly. Businesses could generate credits without having a measurable impact on the environment, stagnating environmental action. In comments made via the Science Media Centre, Sebastian Gehricke, a senior lecturer in finance and director of the Climate and Energy Finance Group at the University of Otago, echoed this concern. 'The global voluntary carbon credit markets face significant scrutiny around the credibility and integrity of credits,' he said. '[As] we're still grappling with the complexities of carbon, something comparatively easier to quantify, then I am really concerned about applying similar models to nature and biodiversity, which are far more complex to quantify and very context dependent.' While Forest & Bird cautiously welcomed Hoggard's announcement, saying it was a 'useful step' that would 'help support people and organisations who wish to voluntarily invest in biodiversity', the potential for greenwashing was also a concern. 'We need to ensure that any external biodiversity incentive system has high integrity and is sustainable – that real, enduring outcomes for nature are achieved and it is not used to mask environmental damage,' said Richard Capie, Forest & Bird's group manager for conservation advocacy and policy. Gehricke was sceptical of the lack of detail in Hoggard's announcement of what the government actually plans to do. 'It appears the government is indicating potential future involvement in a market that private actors are already working to develop. This isn't so much a clear incentive as it is a signal of interest,' said Gehricke. 'Shifting focus toward a voluntary credit market, which is still in its early stages, risks diverting attention from the more immediate and proven impact of regulatory protections.' The broader policy context was important, he said, pointing to the SNA suspension referenced in the press release and other 'significant climate and environmental protection policies' the government had 'recently rolled back'. 'Making a statement of vague support for a 'nature credit market' does not compensate for the tangible loss of safeguards that were already in place, and which many experts already considered insufficient.' Similarly, Green Party agriculture spokesperson Steve Abel called the nature credits announcement 'a bandaid on a gaping wound'. 'While credit schemes and covenants are an important pathway to protecting vital biodiversity on farmland, these alone are not nearly enough to address the biodiversity crisis in Aotearoa,' he said. 'One tiny step in the right direction does not make up for the significant damage this government is doing to the environment in many ways.' He also expressed concern that 'market and corporate-driven biodiversity credits can be little more than a greenwashing tool – and there's proven to be very little demand without regulatory requirements for them'.
