Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 3

Written Answers. - Capitation Grants.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

199 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the details of per capita payments to special education schools or to schools with special education children; the total number of students in each category and the level of payment; the other payments to special education schools or schools with special education children; and the teacher-pupil ratio for each category of special education student. [22546/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

All grants that are provided by my Department to mainstream national schools are of course also provided to special schools. Such grants would include additional per capita grants under PESP for secretarial and caretaking services, library grants, the science grant, minor works' grant etc. In addition enhanced capitation payments are made to schools in respect of pupils with special needs.

Details of the capitation payments that are made by my Department in respect of children enrolled in special schools and classes, and the numbers of pupils in respect of whom such payments were made in the 1999-2000 school year are outlined in the following table.

At second-level, an enhancedper-capita grant of £158 per pupil is paid in respect of pupils who have been psychologically assessed as having a mental handicap and are participating in officially sanctioned special class groups in second level schools. This grant was paid in respect of 1,180 pupils for 1999-2000 and amounted to £186,000. Additional teaching support is also provided to post primary schools for pupils with special needs. A total of 240 resource teachers have been allocated in this regard.

Rates of grant for special national schools and special classes attached to ordinary national schools

Category	Under 12 years	Number of pupils	12 yearsand over	Number of pupils	Total Pupils
Visual Impairment	£355	36	£427	26	62
Hearing Impairment	£398	118	£427	238	356
Profoundly Deaf	£440	9	£440	9	18
Mild General Learning Disability	£267	2,960	£427	2,726	5,686
Moderate General Learning Disability	£355	764	£427	962	1,726
Severe/Profound General Learning Disability	£440	283	£440	301	584
Specific Learning Disability	£267	293	£427	104	397
Emotional Disturbance	£355	173	£427	38	211
Severe Emotional Disturbance	£440	165	£440	108	273
Physical Disability	£267	76	£427	36	112
Autism/Autistic Spectrum Disorders	£440	164	£440	60	224
Specific Speech and Language Disorder	£398	292	£427	13	305
Multiple Disabilities	£440	212	£440	240	452
Traveller Children	£185	4,567	£372	762	5,329
All Categories					15,735

My Department also provides specific funding for special schools and special classes in primary schools in respect of the following:

Special needs assistants

Part-time teachers

Remedial teachers equipment grant

Resource teacher equipment grant

Special class start-up grant

Equipment grants for special needs pupils

Escort grants for special transport services

Finally, the pupil teacher ratio for pupils with disabilities attending special schools and special classes are as follows:

Category:	Ratio:
Visually Impaired:	8:1
Hearing Impaired:	7:1
Mild General Learning Disability:	11:1
Moderate General Learning Disability:	8:1
Emotional Disturbance:	8:1
Severe Emotional Disturbance:	6:1
Autism/Autistic Spectrum Disorder:	6:1
Physical Disability:	10:1
Specific Learning Disability:	11:1
Multiple Disabilities:	6:1
Specific Speech & Language Disorder:	7:1
Severe/Profound Learning Disability:	6:1