Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 July 2013
349. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which a proposed new model to improve the way resources for children with special educational needs are allocated to schools will be developed; the organisations and representative bodies involved in consultations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34729/13]
View answerThe Deputy is referring to the comprehensive policy advice recently published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, which is available on its website www.ncse.ie. The NCSE consulted widely with parents of children with special educational needs, representative bodies and the education partners in preparing this policy advice. Inter alia, the report recommends that under the new resource allocation model proposed by the NCSE in the report, children should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category. I have, as suggested by the Report, requested the NCSE to establish a Working Group to develop a proposal, for consideration, for a new model for the allocation of teaching supports for children with Special Educational Needs based on the profiled educational needs of children in schools. Mr Eamonn Stack, who is the NCSE Chairperson and former Chief Inspector in my Department, will chair this working group and the group, which will include parents, will begin its work immediately. The work of the group will be a matter for the working group itself. The group will report to me in September on the progress of its work, to develop advice on how to reform the way the substantial additional teaching resources for pupils with special educational needs are allocated in the school system.
