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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 3

Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.

Olwyn Enright

Question:

173 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) has received no intervention, despite the fact that they are autistic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21778/03]

Olwyn Enright

Question:

174 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) who has been diagnosed with autism since they were two years and ten months old is only receiving five hours resource teaching per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21779/03]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 174 together.

Following an application for additional resource teaching support for the child referred to by the Deputy a case conference was held on 23 January. In attendance were the child's father, all five members of the Midlands Autism Support Team, the school principal, a resource teacher and special needs assistant and two members of national educational psychological service. The conclusion was that, in view of the child's reported progress, it was not considered that she was in need of an extra allocation of resources at that time.

At present she has an allocation of five hours resource teaching support, a full-time special needs assistant and funding has been made available to the school for a computer under the IT 2000 initiative. She also availed of 40 hours home tuition for the month of July in 2002 and 2003.

Olwyn Enright

Question:

175 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason an IQ test has not been carried out (details supplied) to ascertain ability and disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21781/03]

The school attended by the person has had access to NEPS since January when, in consultation with the principal, a programme of work was agreed.

The person has been identified as having special education needs following earlier assessment. She is in receipt of five resource teaching hours per week in view of her diagnosed disability. An individual education plan has been put in place for her by the trained personnel in the school and it is reviewed on a twice yearly basis. The NEPS psychologist was available for the review consultation held in June and met her parents.

An educational psychological assessment is only carried out on children who are failing to make progress in learning, following consultation with the school personnel. In this case the girl is making good progress and meeting the targets set in the IEP. In view of this the school has not made a request for further educational psychological assessment. The support and advice of the NEPS psychologist in relation to this person continues to be available to the school on request.

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