Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2014
89. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he agrees that, as a trained professional, the class teacher in a primary or secondary school is best placed to judge whether the appointment of a special needs assistant is necessary to assist a child in his or her journey through the education system; and the role of the class teacher in the current system of allocating SNAs. [29399/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually, taking into account the assessed care needs of qualifying children. My Department recently issued Circular 30/2014, which sets out the purpose of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme. This Circular also restates the role of the Classroom Teacher in the context of educating pupils with special educational needs. Section 22 (1) of the Education Act 1998 states the primacy of the teacher in the education and personal development of students in schools. The classroom teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in his/her class, including any pupil with a special educational need. The class teacher has primary responsibility for the progress and care of all pupils in his/her classroom, including pupils with special educational needs. In providing for a child's care needs, the class teacher may be supported by SNA provision, where necessary. Section 20 1 (F) of the EPSEN Act affords statutory provision to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to assess and review the resources required in relation to special educational provision. In doing so, the NCSE takes into account professional assessments of care needs, but also considers the whole school environment, observation of a child's interaction in the classroom, and the views of the child's parents, teachers, and National Educational Psychologists, as necessary. The views of a child's teacher may therefore be taken into account as part of the consideration and assessment process for deciding on the level of SNA support required. However, it is a matter for the NCSE to review the resources required in a school to support the care needs of qualifying children.
