Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2001

Vol. 529 No. 1

Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.

Richard Bruton

Question:

1175 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the assessment that has been carried out on a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; if he will identify the most suitable services which could support the development of this person in the most appropriate manner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1350/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I understand that the child in question has been assessed by the outreach services of the special facility for children with autism at Beechpark, Stillorgan, County Dublin.

Children with autism have access to special dedicated provision in special schools and in special classes attached to ordinary schools. All such facilities operate at a maximum pupil-teacher ratio of 6:1 and each class of six children is also now to be supported by two special needs assistants. A total of 63 special classes for children with autism have been established to date and additional such facilities will be established in response to identified need.

In the case in question, I understand that the mother of the child recently applied to my Department for tuition funding to facilitate the delivery of a home based applied behavioural analysis model of response to her child's needs. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Depart ment has now sanctioned ten hours home tuition per week for the child in question.

I recently established a special task force to review current models of response to the educational needs of children with autism and to make recommendations for the future development of services in this area. I expect to receive the report of the task force in the near future and I am confident that it will provide a valuable basis for the further development of education services in this area.

Bernard Allen

Question:

1176 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will investigate a situation where persons (details supplied) in County Cork have been waiting since June 2000 from the time the Department of Education sanctioned a care assistant for their seven year old son (details supplied) who attends Scoil an Spiroid Naoimh, Curraheen Road, Bishopstown, Cork; and the reason for the delay in having the documentation finalised. [1414/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I am aware of the case referred to by the Deputy. My Department recently sanctioned special needs assistant and resource teacher support for the child in question and the child's school has been notified of this allocation.

I assure the Deputy that I share his concern at the delay involved in putting these necessary support services in place. This resulted in the unprecedented volume of applications for special support with which my Department's special education section has had to deal in recent times. The level of development which has taken place in this area is reflected in the fact that over the past year the number of resource teachers in the system has increased from 329 to 742 and the number of special needs assistants has increased from 937 to 1,629.

While I am particularly pleased with this growth in special education services, I am concerned to expedite the delivery of such services to ensure that all children with special needs receive the support they require on a timely basis. My Department is currently reviewing its approaches in this area to ensure that no undue delay takes place.