Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 October 2004
117 Ms Cooper-Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) who was in receipt of 2.5 hours resource teaching up June 2004 has had their hours reduced despite the fact that the educational psychologist recommended that they receive a minimum of four hours resource teaching per week. [24874/04]
View answerMy officials will investigate the matter referred to by the Deputy and contact will be made with the school as soon as this process has been completed.
118 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science further to circular SP ED 09/04, the date on which it was issued to schools; the number of applications for SER support for persons in the low incident categories from the commencement of the 2004-05 school year which were to be submitted to the special education section by 30 June 2004; the number of these applications that were accompanied by the relevant professional reports as per appendix 2 of the circular; the further number of these applications which have been allocated resources, refused resources and are pending decision respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24875/04]
View answerThe circular to which the Deputy refers issued on 22 June 2004 and is available on my Department's website, www.education.gov.ie.
There were 2,865 special educational resource, SER, applications submitted to my Department for pupils in the low incidence disability categories from the commencement of the 2004-05 school year up to 30 June 2004. Of these cases, applications in respect of 1,551 pupils have been approved for SER support. This includes applications for pupils commencing school in September 2004. It is considered that all of the approved applications were accompanied by the relevant professional report(s). The remaining 1,314 applications received have been unsuccessful, are subject to appeal, have not yet been processed or are incomplete applications. The processing of the applications is ongoing.
The applications not yet processed includes applications for special needs assistant support. The Deputy may be aware that my Department is currently considering the levels and deployment of SNA support in mainstream national schools generally. A decision on these applications will be conveyed to schools as soon as this process has been completed.
