Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 May 2004
151 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Science if the secondment of two primary school teachers to The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre will be renewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14812/04]
View answerFollowing receipt of representations from The Ark, my Department approved the continuation of the secondment of two teachers to The Ark, on a non-recoupment basis, for the current school year. However, in January last the authorities of The Ark were informed that secondment on this basis cannot be approved for the future and that an application for secondments on a full cost recoupment basis would be considered but only following a full review of the project by or on behalf of my Department. There is no change in my Department's position on this matter. To date, no application for secondments on a full cost recoupment basis has been received from the Ark.
152 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 275 of 24 February 2004, if his Department has approved an application for a special needs teacher for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22; if funding has been provided for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14832/04]
View answerAdditional documentation in support of the application for special education resources for the pupil in question was submitted by the school. The application is being considered by my officials.
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.
In the case of teacher resources, the outcome for each applicant school will be based on a new weighted system of allocation which I announced recently. This system, as part of which an additional 350 teaching posts will be allocated, will involve two main elements: (a) making a staffing allocation to schools based on a predicted incidence of pupils with special educational needs; and (b) making individual allocations in the case of children with more acute lower-prevalence special educational needs. It is expected that the change to a weighted system will bring with it a number of benefits. The new system will: reduce the need for individualised educational psychological assessment; reduce the volume of applications to my Department for additional resources for individual pupils; and give greater flexibility to schools, which will facilitate the development and implementation of improved systems and procedures in schools to meet the needs of pupils with low achievement and pupils with special educational needs.
Transitional arrangements for the introduction of the weighted system are being developed at present in consultation with representative interests. As soon as those consultations have been completed, the detailed arrangements for processing applications for resources, including those for special needs assistants and those received after 31 August last, will be set out in a circular to be issued to schools before the end of the current school year. It is intended, also, that applicant schools will be notified of the outcome in their case within this timeframe.
