Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Tuesday, 26 May 2015

Questions (898)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Question:

898. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the directive for the allocation of resource hours 2015 to 2016 is being issued to special educational needs organisers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20592/15]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that on 21st May, 2015, I announced that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will increase its allocation of Resource Teacher Posts to schools by over 9% for the start of the coming school year. The NCSE will allocate 6,454 resource teacher posts to schools for September 2015, which is an increase of 554 posts - or 9.4% since September 2014. Even in the constrained economic circumstances we have faced in recent years, we have been able to continue to meet the needs of children with special educational needs attending our schools. This year we have again increased the number of Resource Teachers which will be allocated to schools, keeping pace with both demographic growth and increased demand. The NCSE has now published details of the allocations which will be made to each individual school on the NCSE website ncse.ie. The NCSE will also have a second round allocation process to respond to late enrolments, or from diagnosed disabilities emerging after the closing date for the first allocation round, to the start of the new school year.