Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 May 2015

Tuesday, 19 May 2015

Questions (433)

Michael Ring

Question:

433. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria her Department seeks in order for a person to qualify for resource hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19625/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates additional resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special educational need. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department.

In addition, all schools receive general allocations of resource teaching/learning support in order to provide for pupils within their school who may have high incidence special educational needs, or learning support needs. These resources are provided under the General Allocation Model (GAM) at primary school level or through an allocation for learning support or high incidence special educational need at post primary school level.

My Department's policy in relation to the provision of resource teaching support for primary school pupils is set out in my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05 and for post primary school pupils it is set out in Circular 0010/2012.

All schools have been asked to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching support for the 2015/16 school year by 18th March, 2015. Details of the application process are provided on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.

The NCSE will consider all applications for resource teaching support which have been made by schools. Schools will be advised of their resource teaching allocations for the 2015/16 school year, prior to the end of the current school year.

All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.