Vol. 563 No. 4
293 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Science if the employment contracts of special needs assistants at St. Patrick's Special School, Enniscorthy, County Wexford, include an entitlement to an annual increment; if increment entitlements have been paid to date; the position in relation to this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7801/03]
331 Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the increments for special needs assistants at a school (details supplied) in County Wexford have been frozen without notification and where there are employment contracts making provision for an annual increment; if this decision will be reversed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8151/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 and 331 together.
Increments have not been awarded to a number of special needs assistants employed in the school referred to by the Deputies for the past year. My Department will be corresponding with the persons concerned in the near future outlining details of revised increment dates.
294 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Science the situation regarding Murhur national school, Moyvane, County Kerry, which was promised a full-time resource teacher but was later informed, following a NEPS report, it would only be entitled to limited hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7814/03]
An application for resource teaching support for five pupils was received from the school referred to by the Deputy in November 2002. In December 2002, my Department informed the school that the support sought was sanctioned in principle, subject to a review by the national educational psychological service, NEPS. The level of support made available is based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual child.
Following the NEPS review, the school was advised in February 2003 that all the supports sought could not be sanctioned. The findings of NEPS were that the application did not comply with the Department's circular 08/02 for resource teaching support. The outcome of the review was a recommendation that the school be allocated ten hours resource teaching support per week. This recommendation was accepted and ten hours resource teaching support has been sanctioned.
In order for a school to qualify for a full-time resource post, it must have a minimum allocation of 22 hours resource teaching support per week in the case of a teacher assigned to a single school or a minimum of 20 hours per week where a post is shared with other schools.
