Gay Mitchell
Question:32 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a number of resource teachers' hours have been reduced in numerous schools in the past number of weeks. [5895/03]
Written Answers - School Staffing.
As part of its evaluative role, my Department's inspectorate recently conducted a sample survey of 25 primary schools which had been allocated resource teacher and special needs assistant support. This review highlighted significant misapplication of the terms of the relevant departmental circulars. Arising from these concerns, arrangements were made for the national educational psychological service, NEPS, to carry out a review of some 788 applications for such support on hands in my Department. The 788 applications in question involved a total of 1,590 individual pupils in respect of whom support was sought.
Of the 1,590 individual pupils involved, the review concluded that the applications in respect of 948, 60%, of these pupils conformed with departmental circulars and the resources sought have been allocated. In the remaining 642 cases, the key deficiencies identified were: situations where the level of support sought in respect of individual pupils in a particular disability category did not conform to the support levels identified in the circulars as applicable to the disability category in question, and; situations where the relevant assessment reports required to support the application were not available at the school for inspection by NEPS.
Where possible, NEPS made a recommendation as to the nature and level of the resources which should be provided and such resources have been sanctioned.