Question:
115 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will give details of the new package of measures for special education; and the time scale for their implementation. [23002/01]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
Earlier this year I extended the early education provision for children with autism to three year olds, and extended their school year to include July. In August this year I announced a further range of important new measures in the special education area. These included the holding of a special needs education forum, the introduction of a Disabilities (Education and Training) Bill, the accelerated development of the national educational psychological service, the accelerated development of the National Council for Special Education and the establishment of a group of senior officials in my Department to examine special education services for students with special needs at second level.
Arrangements to hold the special needs education forum are proceeding in my Department. My objective is that the forum should take place in early November 2001. The discussion at the forum will be considered in the context of the debate on the Disabilities (Education and Training) Bill which I hope to publish as soon as possible. This Bill is being treated as a priority by the Government. The objective of the Bill will be to clarify and copperfasten the entitlements of people with disabilities to appropriate support services and to facilitate the delivery of those services in an effective manner.
The original development plan for the national educational psychological service envisaged the service achieving nationwide coverage by the end of 2004. The Government has now approved proposals for the accelerated development of the service with the objective of achieving nationwide coverage by the end of next year. Arrangements to recruit additional psychologists to the service are proceeding.
The Government has also approved the accelerated establishment of the National Council for Special Education. The intention is that the council, which will be responsible for the provision of research, expert advice and certain operational functions in the delivery of special education services, will be set up this year and will be operating on a full statutory basis as soon as feasible thereafter.
A group of senior officials in my Department has already commenced work on reviewing our current approaches to addressing the educational needs of students with disabilities at second level. I expect this group to report soon and it is my intention to seek Government approval for any measures considered necessary to improve services for the students in question.
The measures to which I have referred, coupled with the substantial development in special education services which have already been undertaken by this Government, will ensure that all children with special needs receive the best possible quality of service.