Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2004
204 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science when an additional resource teacher will be appointed to a school (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the fact that some hours have been granted since September 2003 to one student who will enter third class in September 2004. [19283/04]
View answerMy Department received an application for special education resources for the pupil at the end of January. I intend that all applications for special educational resources received by 30 June will be responded to before the commencement of the 2004-05 school year. Applications for resource teacher support that were received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 have been considered. Schools were notified of the outcome and whether resources could be put in place immediately. Applications received after 31 August 2003 and by 30 June 2004 will be processed in the near future. The outcome will be notified to schools before the commencement of the 2004-05 school year.
The teacher allocations involved will be made in the context of a new weighted system that I announced recently. An additional 350 teacher posts are being provided to facilitate the introduction of the new system. It will involve a general weighted allocation for all primary schools to cater for pupils with higher incidence special educational needs, for example, those with borderline, mild and general learning disability, specific learning disability, and also those with learning support needs. It will also allow for allocations in respect of pupils with lower incidence special educational needs.
The weighted allocation will be made as follows. In the most disadvantaged schools as per the urban dimension of Giving Children an Even Break, a teacher of pupils with special educational needs will be allocated for every 80 pupils to cater for the subset of pupils with higher incidence special needs; in all boys schools the ratio will be one teacher for every 140 pupils; in mixed schools, or all girls schools with an enrolment of greater than 30% boys, one for every 150 pupils; and in all girls schools, including schools with mixed junior classes but with 30% or less boys overall, one for every 200 pupils. I intend that the details of the new model will be set out in a comprehensive circular to issue to schools for the commencement of the new school year.
The weighted allocation will enable teaching support to be provided to pupils with higher incidence special educational needs and this will obviate the need for schools to submit individual applications for pupils in the higher incidence categories. Schools may continue to apply for specific teacher allocations in respect of pupils with lower incidence disabilities. My Department now proposes to devise clusters in respect of allocations to be made under the weighted model. Sanction for the filling of posts will be considered in the context of these clusters and the weighted arrangements. My Department will communicate with schools in this regard before the commencement of the coming school year.
205 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department will sanction three special needs assistants for a school (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [19319/04]
View answerMy Department received applications for three special needs assistants from the school. Special needs assistants may be approved to support 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 is outlined in my Department's circular 7/02.
I refer the Deputy to circular SP ED 9/04. It may be accessed on my Department's website, www.education.ie under the heading, Children With Special Needs. It advises schools that they will be advised of the outcome of their applications as soon as possible in advance of the next school year.
