The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a formal role under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 to advise me as Minister in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities. The NCSE have been asked to provide comprehensive policy advice on how the education system can best support children with special educational needs. This advice will guide the preparation of a plan on how aspects of EPSEN can be implemented, including the prioritising of access to children with special needs to an individual education plan.
I can advise that this advice will consider:
- the identification and assessment of children with special needs
- the nature of supports provided for children
- the way in which supports are allocated to schools and
- how these supports are configured.
The NCSE has advised my Department that representative groups including parent representatives have been consulted as part of the development of this policy advice. These representative groups also participate on the NCSE Consultative Forum, which meets regularly to consider policy matters relating to the provision of services for children with special educational needs. The advice from the NCSE is expected in the coming months. It is my intention that the significant resources to support children with Special Educational Needs are deployed to ensure the best possible outcomes for students. The advice will be a key input into achieving this goal.
