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Special Educational Needs.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2004

Tuesday, 17 February 2004

Questions (232, 233, 234, 235, 236)

Joe Higgins

Question:

313 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the criteria currently being employed in the evaluation of the necessity for the provision of a special needs assistant to a school student; if his Department has plans to change these criteria; and if so, when. [4954/04]

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Joe Higgins

Question:

314 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the changes in the criteria used for the assessment of the need to provide a special needs assistant to a school student since 1 June 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4956/04]

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Joe Higgins

Question:

315 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the changes his Department intends to make in the criteria being used for the assessment of the need to provide a special needs assistant over the next 18 months. [4957/04]

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Joe Higgins

Question:

316 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has plans to expand the provision of special needs supports to ensure children with special needs achieve their full educational potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4958/04]

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Joe Higgins

Question:

317 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department has plans to allocate special needs assistants on a school by school basis, based on the number of students attending each school, as is currently the case with the allocation of teaching posts; when this will be implemented; and the ratio of special needs assistants to students that will exist. [4959/04]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 to 317, inclusive, together.

Special needs assistants may be approved to assist a pupil who has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or other pupils. The criteria used for the assessment of the need for special needs assistant support are outlined in circular 07/02 which issued to primary schools in February 2002. The criteria remain unchanged.

Since October 1998 the number of special needs assistants has increased from approximately 300 to the current number of 4,319 full time and 1,353 part time posts. In autumn 2002, as part of its evaluative role, my Department's inspectorate conducted a review of special educational resources in 25 primary schools. The objective of the review was to provide a detailed account of the additional allocation of resources for pupils with special educational needs with particular reference to the terms of the relevant departmental circulars.

While expressing concern at the higher than expected incidence of significant disability identified in the survey, the report emphasised the need for caution in drawing firm conclusions because of the small sample involved. It also noted that increased access to psychological assessment services in recent years had led to increased numbers of pupils in mainstream schools being identified as having special needs. Nonetheless, the report expressed concern that the greater availability of resources in recent years may also have led to significant over-identification of special needs in schools and that such over-identification had serious long-term implications for the future funding and development of special education services.

My Department continues to review the existing arrangements for the allocation of special educational supports to primary schools. In this context, my officials have initiated discussions on the matter with representative interests. It would be premature to anticipate the outcome. I can confirm, however, that the basic purpose of that review is to ensure each school has the level of resources required to cater for its pupils with special educational needs.

I am anxious to ensure the support services are properly targeted at the children who require them and that the substantially increased resources which are being made available in the special education area have the desired effect of ensuring all children assessed as having special needs receive the support they require.

Questions Nos. 318 to 320, inclusive, answered with Question No. 312.
Question No. 321 answered with QuestionNo. 286.
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