Written Answers Nos. 500-509
500. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a child (details supplied) is being refused a full-time special needs assistant in order to attend school; if the decision not to award this support can be reversed, as the situation is causing distress to the child's family and parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39407/15]
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 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs.
The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support, which is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.
All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2015/16 school year by 18th March 2015. The NCSE also continued to accept applications after this date in recognition that enrolments may not have been completed or where assessments were not completed.
The NCSE has now published details of SNA allocations for schools for September 2015 on its website at www.ncse.ie. Once allocated, the deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
Parents who have concerns regarding the manner in which the resources or facilities which have been provided to support their child's education are being applied in school should, in the first instance, raise this matter directly with their school Principal or the Board of Management of the school.
Details of the manner in which a school or parent may appeal the level of SNA or resource teaching allocation which has been made to support a child in school, to the NCSE, is set out on the NCSE website.
All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, while Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available the NCSE website.
As this question relates to an allocation for an individual child, I will arrange to have the matter referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
501. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the establishment of a gaelcholáiste in North Kildare; if her Department has analysed figures from the area that indicate the need for a gaelcholáiste, particularly based on the demand for places in gaelscoileanna; her views on the limited capacity at a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, which currently caters for students from Kildare north; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39409/15]
View answerMy Department is in receipt of a submission in relation to the establishment of a Gaelcholáiste for the North Kildare area. The establishment of any new school is considered in the context of the overall need for additional school places to meet future demographic demands. New schools are advanced in line with an objective process and criteria for determining patronage and medium of instruction.
The Deputy will be aware that a new post-primary school opened in the North Kildare area in September 2014. This school is operating an all-Irish Aonad to supplement all-Irish post-primary provision in the area. My Department has confirmed that if sufficient demand for education through the medium of Irish in the Aonad is demonstrated over a four year cycle, consideration will be given to the establishment of an independent Gaelcholáiste. This remains the position.
The school in County Dublin to which the Deputy refers was established a number of years ago to cater for all-Irish post-primary demand in North Kildare and South Dublin. This school was built to cater for 600 pupils. There is a refurbishment project in progress to provide 4 additional classrooms. In addition 4 temporary classrooms and a science laboratory have recently been installed. The works being undertaken will increase the school's enrolment capacity to approximately 850 pupils. There were 597 pupils enrolled in September 2014.
502. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she will take to ensure that a suitable school place is available, in line with the professional recommendation, for a child with special needs (details supplied) in County Cork; the way the educational needs of the child are currently being met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39422/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism, should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational need require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available.
The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.
The NCSE will continue to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in particular areas and has capacity to establish such new special classes where necessary subject to the willingness of schools to open classes.
The purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme which is administered by the Special Education Section of my Department is to provide a compensatory educational service for children with Special Educational Needs who are awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism.
My Department has been informed that the NCSE has identified a placement for the child hand accordingly Home tuition cannot be granted in this case.
503. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are any obstacles to Steiner secondary schools in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39426/15]
View answerMy Department takes the decision to establish new schools (primary and post-primary) in order to meet demographic need. When the demographics of an area require the establishment of a new school, then a process is conducted to allow for different patrons/bodies to be considered as patron of the new school. Parental preferences are central to this process and prospective patrons are required to provide evidence of demand for their particular type of school. My Department publicises school patronage determination processes and provides guidance to prospective applicants on the requirements to be fulfilled. It is open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply under this process.
504. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria for recognition of secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39427/15]
View answerNew schools (primary and post-primary) are established in order to meet demographic need. A process is conducted to allow for different patrons/bodies to be considered as patron of a new school. It is open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply under this process. Parental preferences are central to this process and prospective patrons are required to provide evidence of demand for their particular type of school. A range of requirements and criteria apply to the establishment of a new school and these are clearly set out for applicant patrons.
505. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to award DEIS status to a school (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [39432/15]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, I have recently commenced a process to renew the DEIS programme. The review process is being undertaken over the course of the current school year and will consider all issues pertaining to educational disadvantage. I hope to be in a position to make an overall proposal for the delivery of future interventions to tackle educational disadvantage after that. While this process is underway, I do not intend to make any changes to the current programme, including the addition of any further schools.
506. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the temporary English as an additional language post will be retained in a school (details supplied) in County Sligo, due to the circumstances surrounding the misunderstanding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39478/15]
View answer507. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the temporary English as an additional language post at a school (details supplied) in County Sligo will be retained for the 2015/2016 academic year, due to the clear misunderstandings involved with the reasons for not making an application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39492/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 506 and 507 together.
I understand that officials from my Department are in correspondence with the managerial authorities of St John's National School in relation to the post referred to by the Deputy.
508. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if two new classrooms will be provided for a DEIS school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39561/15]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has recently received an application for additional accommodation from the school to which the Deputy refers.
The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.
509. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the case of a child (details supplied) in County Meath; if, given the exceptional circumstances, she will grant additional special needs assistant hours to allow this child to attend preschool on a full-time basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39577/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are allocated to Special Schools and to mainstream Primary and Post Primary schools to assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website www.education.ie, sets out my Department's policy in relation to the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme. The Circular explains that SNA support is not provided to pre-school services which operate outside of the primary or special school provision, other than in early intervention classes in recognised primary schools, or special schools, where support is provided for as part of the schools total quantum of SNA support.
The vast majority of supports for childcare, including pre-school education, are provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The principal vehicle for the delivery of pre-school education is the free Pre-School Year in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme which was introduced in January 2010 and provides for early learning in a formal setting to children in the year before they commence primary school.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) currently provides for care support for pupils with special needs attending a range of HSE funded pre-schools. As such, questions relating to provision of such services should be addressed to the HSE, or to my colleague, the Minister for Health.
