Emmet Stagg
Question:218 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will sanction the proposed Sapling’s ABA school in Rathfarnham, south County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8384/04]
View answerTuesday, 23 March 2004
Questions (218, 219)
Written answers
My Department is actively considering the application referred to by the Deputy. My officials are liaising with my Department's inspectorate and the national educational psychological service in this regard and a response will issue to the applicants as quickly as possible.
Following an initial examination of the application, my Department raised certain queries with the applicants relating to details of the children who would attend the facility and regarding the proposed accommodation. A response has recently been received and is being examined at present.
Dan Neville
Question:219 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Education and Science if a one-to-one remedial teacher will be provided for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick who has been assessed with very special needs and is unable to read or write. [8385/04]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has received an application for special educational resources, SER, for the pupil referred to by the Deputy. SER applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 are being considered at present. In all, more than 5,000 such applications were received. Priority was given to cases involving children starting school last September and all of these cases were responded to before or soon after the commencement of the current school year.
The balance of more than 4,000 applications has been reviewed by a dedicated team comprising members of my Department's inspectorate and the national educational psychological service. These applications are being further considered in the context of the outcome of surveys of SER provision conducted over the past year or so. Account is also being taken of the data submitted by schools as part of the recent nationwide census of SER provision.
The processing of the applications is a complex and time-consuming operation. However, my Department is endeavouring to have this completed as quickly as possible and my officials will then respond to all applicant schools. Pending a response, schools are advised to refer to circular 24/03 which issued in September 2003. This circular contains practical advice on how to achieve the most effective deployment of resources already allocated for special educational needs within the school.
The arrangements for processing applications received after the 31 August 2003, including the application for the pupil in question, will be considered in the context of the outcome of discussions on a weighted system of allocation of resource teaching support. A further communication will be sent to schools in this regard.