Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 June 2015
171. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to meet the requirements in respect of special needs teachers at primary and secondary level schools; if she has identified the locations most seriously challenged in this regard; her plans to deal with the issue in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22680/15]
View answer172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which sufficient resources remain available to her Department to meet the special needs teacher requirements in all schools at primary and secondary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22681/15]
View answer180. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which primary and secondary level schools throughout County Kildare continue to have the necessary number of classes, accommodation and teachers to meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorder, or similar needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22690/15]
View answer183. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which her Department has received requests for extra special needs teachers or special needs assistants in County Kildare; her plans to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22693/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 171, 172, 180 and 183 together. The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including pupils in Co. Kildare, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Many pupils with special educational needs will be able to attend a local mainstream school, whereas for pupils who have needs which require more specialist interventions, special class and special school placements are provided for. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will increase its allocation of Resource Teacher Posts to schools by over 9%, by allocating 6,454 resource teacher posts to schools for the start of the coming school year, which is an increase of 554 posts since September 2014, while over 120 new special classes will open for 2015/16 school year. Resource Teachers and SNAs are allocated by the NCSE in response to qualifying applications received from schools and accordingly these allocations reflect the needs as they arise throughout the Country. Overall the resource teacher posts have expanded by 22% since September 2013 – from 5,285 to 6,454 posts in schools. In addition, 11,330 SNA posts, an increase of 365 posts, or over 3%, are available to the NCSE to allocate to the end of 2015, which is also a greater level than has ever previously been available, to reflect demographic growth and increased demand for SNA support. This year we have again increased the number of Resource Teachers and SNAs which will be allocated to schools, which is in excess of demographic increases in 2015 of approximately 1.8% at primary level and 1.2% at post primary level. This means that more children than ever before are receiving resource teaching and SNA support in schools. It ensures that schools can continue to provide the additional teaching and SNA supports required to assist the meaningful inclusion of pupils with special needs in mainstream schools.
