Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2016
42. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the Department of Health or any agencies acting for that Department informed his Department of their intention to remove supports to a school (details supplied) and if they have advised parents to seek this funding from his Department. [17911/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) makes allocations for Teachers and Special Needs Assistants to special schools each year. In doing so, they take into account the number of pupils enrolled to the school and the care needs of the pupils attending the school, in accordance with my Departments allocation criteria.
The number of special school teaching posts which will be allocated to St Augustine's Special School by the NCSE for the coming 2016/17 school year will be 22 teachers and 1 Administrative Principal.
The number of Special Needs Assistant posts (SNAs) which will be allocated to the school for coming 2016/17 school year will be 28 SNAs.
This is the same number of teaching and SNA posts which were allocated to the school during the current 2015/16 school year.
There has therefore been no reduction to the number of SNA or special school teaching posts being allocated to the school by the NCSE.
I understand that the staffing and service adjustments referred to in this question relate to the provision of Residential and Vocational Services which are provided to the school by St John Of God's Community Services, and the proposed reconfiguration of these services.
I also understand that a meeting recently took place between Health Service Executive (HSE) officials and the management team of St John of God's Services, on 20th June, 2016, regarding this matter. Following this meeting, it was agreed that the status quo provision will remain in place until such time as the proposals are fully considered and discussed between all relevant stakeholders.
This means that all services currently provided by St John of God's Community Services at St Augustine's school will continue without change until such a time as these proposals are worked through.
Officials from my Department have recently been in contact with their colleagues at the Department of Health regarding this matter, however, I can advise that my Department was not informed in advance of the intention by St John of God's Community Services to reconfigure their services at the school, and was not asked to provide additional funding to supplement any service reorganisation.
My Department will continue to work with other service providers such as the HSE and St John of God's Community Services, as necessary, in order to resolve any outstanding issues.
