Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 April 2014
214. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the exact date in 2006 that Model A was no longer part of his Department policy on autism; the job title of the person whose position it was to make that decision; and the job title of the person whose responsibility it was to communicate this decision to relevant individuals. [19670/14]
View answer215. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the basis on which his Department made the decision to stop using Model A. [19671/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together.
As I previously advised in my replies to Parliamentary Questions No. 99 and 249 dated 2nd April and 15th April, respectively, I do not have a specific date from which the prescribed model became outdated. From 2006/2007 it was recognised that the model concept was complex and multi-purpose. It was determined that parents of children with autism should have three distinct choices available to them; their child could either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional supports as required, they could attend a special class in a mainstream school or they could attend a special school. While the responsibility for policy resides with the Minister of the Department, the responsibility for implementation of policies in the area of special educational needs resides within the Department and the NCSE. The discontinuation of the model concept in favour of the mainstream, special class and special school provision did not materially alter the provision being made for children with Autism. It is not possible to establish precisely when the changes were commenced and it is likely that the changes were introduced by agreement between the Special Education Section of my Department and other relevant sections and bodies. As the model concept was mainly used internally in my Department, by NEPS and officials in the Special Education Section, it was not necessary to communicate formally to schools. Individual schools continued to be supported by NEPS, NCSE and the Inspectorate as appropriate and received any necessary guidance and information through these means. In the course of the period of transfer from the Department to the NCSE, which fully concluded in or around 2008, the language around Model A had fallen into disuse and was replaced by the type of correspondence between schools and the NCSE which is seen largely today.
