Written Answers Nos. 519-537
519. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the number of applications received for the academic year for transport for children with additional needs; and the number that have been processed, by county, in tabular form. [54268/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The cost in 2021 was over €289m.
Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.
The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to my Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs.
A pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if s/he is attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class / special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet the child's special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills criteria.
Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).
It is not possible to provide the information in the manner requested by the Deputy, as applications are currently at various stages of the assessment process.
Over 17,500 children are currently availing of Special Educational Needs (SEN) Transport which in an increase of over 2,000 availing of transport in the previous school year. So far for the 2022/2023 school year, 4,968 new SEN applications have been received. This figure is an increase of over 11% on all SEN applications in the 2021/2022 school year.
The remaining applications are at various stages of progression with the majority of these applications having been received since 01 August 2022. These applications will be catered for through a mix of new services (some being individual), children being accommodated on existing services where capacity exists, extensions of existing routes or offer of a grant to families.
520. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the number of appeals currently waiting for assessment under the school transport appeals board, by county, in tabular form. [54269/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Department of Education regarding the provision of school transport services and/or grant-aid under the terms of the School Transport Schemes may be appealed to the School Transport Appeals Board.
The School Transport Appeals Board is independent in the performance of its functions and the Board will liaise directly with the appellant when the appeal is due for consideration.
The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:
|
County |
Number of Appeals |
|
Carlow |
46 |
|
Cavan |
70 |
|
Clare |
67 |
|
Cork |
206 |
|
Donegal |
40 |
|
Dublin |
103 |
|
Galway |
217 |
|
Kerry |
31 |
|
Kildare |
126 |
|
Kilkenny |
53 |
|
Laois |
45 |
|
Leitrim |
28 |
|
Limerick |
45 |
|
Longford |
15 |
|
Louth |
83 |
|
Mayo |
19 |
|
Meath |
133 |
|
Monaghan |
32 |
|
Offaly |
20 |
|
Roscommon |
25 |
|
Sligo |
46 |
|
Tipperary |
45 |
|
Waterford |
27 |
|
Westmeath |
25 |
|
Wexford |
69 |
|
Wicklow |
21 |
|
Total |
1637 |
521. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education when bus tickets will issue to siblings (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54271/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil(s) referred to by the Deputy are eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme but were unsuccessful in obtaining seats on board a school transport service for the 2022/23 school year as they did not complete the ticket registration process by the closing date of 29 July.
Some families may prefer to drop or collect their children from school for a period of time. This may continue on odd days throughout the school year too, based on the family circumstances or school absences for a variety of reasons.
It is recognised that all pupils issued with tickets will not travel every morning and every evening. In addition, certain after school activities may also result in pupils not travelling on certain days.
Bus Éireann organises for vehicles to be full to capacity with tickets based on applications received and based on the seating capacity of the vehicle. For safety reasons, it is not possible to issue additional tickets over and above the seating capacity of the vehicle which could result in a potential overload situation arising and all pupils not being carried on the service.
Bus Éireann has advised that all existing services in this area are currently operating at capacity, however, their Local Office is currently assessing school transport routes and if seats become available, the family referred to by the Deputy will be contacted directly by their Local Office.
522. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education if gambling awareness workshops have been rolled-out in secondary schools in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54275/22]
View answerMy Department is active in the area of promotion of health and wellbeing in schools. Schools have a role to play in supporting their students to develop the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed choices when faced with a range of difficult issues, including drugs, alcohol and gambling.
This is mainly done through the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme. SPHE is currently mandatory in all primary schools and in Junior Cycle where it is part of the mandatory Wellbeing area. Schools are also encouraged to deliver the SPHE programme in senior cycle.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is currently redeveloping and updating the SPHE curriculum across Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. In 2020, the NCCA established two development groups, one for primary and one for post-primary, to oversee this work and support the development of guidance material for schools.
The immediate focus of the work of the NCCA was on creating support materials for teachers for publication online as part of an Interim Guidance Toolkit to support effective teaching and learning of SPHE/RSE. In tandem, work on the broader redeveloping and updating of the SPHE curriculum is progressing.
In relation to Junior Cycle, following a period of consultation running from 18 July 2022 to 18 October 2022, it is expected that the specification will be finalised by the end of this year with the aim of having it implemented in schools in September 2023.
In relation to Senior Cycle, preparation to update the SPHE/RSE specification has commenced and a background paper was published earlier this month for public consultation on the NCCA website. It is anticipated that the Senior Cycle draft specification itself will be available for public consultation by next summer, with a view to being implemented in schools in September 2024.
Following publication of the new Primary Curriculum Framework, expected in early 2023, NCCA will establish a development group for the curricular area of Wellbeing in primary schools.
523. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education if she will respond to a person (details supplied) who contacted this Deputy regarding school transport needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54300/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school. At post primary level, students who live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre are deemed eligible.
Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.
In line with normal practice, all eligible children who completed the application and ticket registration process on time for the 2022/2023 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
In addition, pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the School Transport Scheme, Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level will be continued for the 2022/2023 school year. Under these measures, which were initially introduced in 2019, transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied by the 29th April and registered for a ticket by the 29th July 2022.
Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme and was unsuccessful in obtaining seats on board a school transport service for the 2022/23.
Bus Éireann’s Local Office are currently assessing school transport routes and if seats become available, the family referred to by the Deputy will be contacted directly by the Local Office.
524. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 1169 of 26 July 2022, if she recognises that her Department’s reliance on the Pobal HP deprivation index in determining DEIS status is too blunt an instrument and can result in significantly disadvantaged students not receiving the supports they need, with an example being the index readings in Killarney, County Kerry; if she will review the matter sooner than Q3 2023, as referred to in her previous reply, with a view to factoring in broader evidence than the Pobal HP deprivation index; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54327/22]
View answerI have been able to significantly expand the number of schools in the DEIS programme this year, meaning over 1,200 schools have access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32million to my Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the 2023 allocation to in the region of €180million.
Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model, which is an objective, statistics-based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.
The DEIS identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage. It aims to identify those schools with the highest proportion of students from areas designated as disadvantaged. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie at www.gov.ie/en/publication/a3c9e-extension-of-deis-to-further-schools/#how-schools-were-selected-for-inclusion-in-deis.
Schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data were provided with the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed. The DEIS appeals process was applied fairly across all appellants and the results are final. My Department will continue to support schools to deliver high quality, inclusive teaching and learning to students and young learners.
It is important to note that the extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one phase of work in my vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, I recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Conscious of this and recognising the need to target resources to those schools that need them most, the next phase of work will explore the allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
In addition to this, following the National Census 2022 held on the 3rd April last it is envisaged that an updated HP Deprivation Index will be generated by Pobal and will be available in Q3 of 2023. My Department will engage with Pobal in relation to this process. The updated HP Deprivation Index, when available, can be considered by my Department to inform future resource allocation to tackle educational disadvantage.
525. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 1134 of 26 July 2022, when arrangements for next year’s supplementary panel, as referred to in her previous reply, will be published; if she intends to remove barriers to make it easier for Irish emigrant teachers to return to Ireland to take up posts rather than re-recruiting retired teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54328/22]
View answerThe Supplementary Redeployment Panel is used for the filling of permanent vacancies in primary schools and those panels are comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers.
Officials from my Department will be meeting with the Education Partners shortly to review the arrangements for the Supplementary Panel and a circular setting out the eligibility criteria for the 2023/24 school year will be published later in the month.
526. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 203 of 5 October 2022, if her Department's broadband technical team has been able to resolve the problems preventing a school (details supplied) from accessing high-speed broadband; the steps that are being taken to remove these obstacles as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54368/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the school referred is in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) Intervention Area, implementation of which is underway. My Department is working closely with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) on this implementation to prioritise school connectivity, with all schools in the NBP Implementation Area to be provided with high speed broadband infrastructure by 2023. My officials have confirmed that the school referred to was recently connected to the National Broadband Ireland network infrastructure, and has now been awarded to a provider under the Department's School Broadband Programme. The provider in question has pre-installation works now completed and will be in contact directly with the school shortly to arrange installation.
My department operates the Schools Broadband Programme at an annual cost of some €13m, providing broadband connectivity to schools through a range of technologies at the best available connectivity based on local infrastructure.
527. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education if a student (details supplied) will be given a school bus ticket; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54376/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school. At post primary level, students who live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre are deemed eligible.
Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.
In line with normal practice, all eligible children who completed the application and ticket registration process on time for the 2022/2023 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
In addition, pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the School Transport Scheme, Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level will be continued for the 2022/2023 school year. Under these measures, which were initially introduced in 2019, transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied by the 29th April and registered for a ticket by the 29th July 2022.
Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme, however, registration was received after the closing date of 29th July and at this stage all existing services in this area were operating at capacity.
Bus Éireann’s Local Office are currently assessing school transport routes and if seats become available, the family referred to by the Deputy will be contacted directly by the Local Office.
528. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if the Leaving Certificate exam will be available in Ukrainian language for students to sit the Leaving Certificate in June 2023 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54382/22]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the state examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
529. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education her views on issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54383/22]
View answerThe Assessment of Need (AON) process is provided for under the Disability Act 2005. Assessment Officers under the remit of the HSE are charged with organising the Assessment of Need. The Assessment Officer makes the determination as to whether or not a child or young person meets the definition of disability contained in the Act and the HSE Assessment Officer coordinates and completes the Assessment Report.
Following on from a court ruling in October 2021 there is now a legal obligation on the education system to assist the HSE as part of the HSE’s Assessment of Need Process (AON).
The Department of Education and NCSE have worked intensively to ensure the process put in place adheres to legal obligations arising from the HSE’s AON process and is one that is rooted in existing good practice in schools. Under the Disability Act (2005) the NCSE is obliged to nominate a person with appropriate expertise to assist in the education assessment process.
Where the child is enrolled in a school the Education of Persons with Special Education Needs Act (EPSEN) 2004 names the principal as the person the NCSE should contact.
It is important to note that the educational component of the AON process refers to assessment of education needs. Assessment in education is an everyday practice in schools which results in the identification of a child’s education need and the measures required to address these needs.
Identification of education needs, therefore, is central to the way schools operate. Schools provide for the inclusion and participation of all students and provide an education which is appropriate to a student’s abilities and needs.
In that regard, it is important to note that schools routinely identify students’ needs. This is embedded in school practice. This aligns with the obligations on schools arising from the Education Act 1998. They use a range of assessment practices as part of the Continuum of Support process. The Continuum of Support framework enables the school to identify, address and review progress in meeting the academic, social and emotional needs of the pupil, as well as physical, sensory, language and communication needs.
Schools have been provided with a range of resources to ensure that the education needs of all students, including those with a disability or other special education needs, are identified and supported. The Department of Education issued Guidelines for Primary and Post Primary schools (2017) as to how they should identify and provide for the special education and learning needs of students.
Information derived from the schools’ assessments in education are recorded in a ‘Student Support File’. In line with best educational practice, the Student Support file details a student’s education needs as identified by the school. The information contained in the Student Support File is used in completing the educational component of the AON form which is returned to the HSE via the NCSE.
The Department of Education and the NCSE are conscious of the workload on schools and on school leaders and, in that regard, an extensive consultation process on the educational component of the AON was undertaken prior to its introduction. This process involved schools, advocacy groups, management bodies and unions. The Department of Education and the NCSE worked with a small number of schools on a draft of the documents required as part of the HSE’s AON process. The schools provided valuable feedback on the form and guidance documents which was used to inform the documents which have been issued to schools.
The Department of Education and the NCSE have put in place a suite of supports to assist schools in completing the educational component of the HSE’s AON process. These include:
- Detailed guidance,
- Short video for use by schools setting how to comply with the process,
- Email support,
- Dedicated support line – this line is staffed by education professionals who will assist schools in completing the process. I think it is important to note that this remains a HSE process. The information retained in schools on a student’s education needs, are transferred into a Report Form that will be returned to the HSE to feed into the overall AON process. The education system is assisting the HSE on the educational component only, as part of the HSE’s Assessment of Need Process (AON).
On foot of ongoing engagement the Department and NCSE advised stakeholders last week (27th October) that the trialling process which began earlier this year would continue for the educational component of assessment of need (AON) process which is currently taking place at school level. As is the case of any measure required to comply with legal obligations, the Department engaged with the unions, management bodies and a number of schools prior to the introduction of the trial AON process in schools. Engagement occurred in June to inform unions and management bodies of this process and continued with feedback on the trialling process to stakeholders in September. The Department is committed to ongoing engagement on this process.
This trialling is being led by NCSE and supported by the Department’s Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). The Department and NCSE are satisfied that the information provided as a result of this engagement will meet the requirements as set out in the AON process.
Work will continue with stakeholders to finalise an education focused AON process.
530. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education the number of fee-paying primary schools in Ireland by county; the number of children in fee-paying primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54384/22]
View answerPlease find attached requested information.
Please note that the data on private primary schools collected by the Department of Education is provided voluntarily by means of survey for the purpose of EU data collections. The response rate in 2021 was 89%.
Academic Year 2021-2022
|
County |
Number of Schools |
Total Enrolments |
|
Cork |
3 |
334 |
|
Dublin |
24 |
4,648 |
|
Louth & Meath |
3 |
174 |
|
Wicklow |
2 |
320 |
|
Grand Total |
32 |
5,476 |
531. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education the anticipated cost per child of the proposed extension of the free book scheme as in Budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54385/22]
View answer532. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education if she will set out the additional cost that would be incurred by including children who attend fee-paying primary schools in the proposed extension of the free book scheme as in Budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54386/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 531 and 532 together.
The introduction of a new scheme to provide free books for all students has been a priority of mine since taking office and signifies a new chapter in Irish primary education. This permanent initiative will greatly reduce the burden on families and reflects the importance this Government places on education. It will benefit up to 540,000 primary school students, across every county. Over €50 million has been allocated for the measure, and planning work has commenced. The implementation of the measure will build on the existing school book rental scheme and the free school books pilot provided to over one hundred schools in recent years. My Department will engage with the education partners to roll out the measure in time for the September 2023 school year and has part of planning and engagement per pupil rates will be decided.
The Free Book Scheme will be available to all recognised primary schools in the free education sector. Education funding, including for the Free Book Scheme, is not provided for any educational establishments outside of this category.
533. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education when an application for wheelchair-accessible school transport for a pupil (details supplied) will be reviewed and a decision issued on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54388/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education and Skills on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
Bus Éireann has advised that a school transport service will commence for the child referred to by the Deputy following the mid-term break on 7th November. Bus Éireann further advise that they have contacted the family of the child with regard to the transport arrangements.
534. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education when an application for school transport for a pupil (details supplied) will be reviewed and a decision issued on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54389/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
I am pleased to advise that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible under the terms of the scheme and Bus Éireann advise the pupil is now availing of a school transport service.
535. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the status of an appeal for school transport as a result of an email technicality (details supplied). [54393/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
On the 19th of August 2022 an appeal in respect of school transport for the family referred to by the Deputy was lodged with the School Transport Appeals Board. The Board will liaise directly with the appellants when the appeals are due for consideration.
536. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 109 of 25 May 2022, if she will provide an update on a student struggling (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54395/22]
View answerVisiting teachers for children who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired provide additional supports for such children, their families, and schools. Details of the services which are provided to schools and families by the visiting teacher service are available at ncse.ie/visiting-teachers.
Each visiting teacher (VT) is responsible for a particular region and is allocated a caseload of students. The VT supports children/young people, parents, guardians, teachers and other professionals involved with the child. The frequency and nature of support takes into account a range of factors based on the individual’s needs.
The student referenced is availing of the visiting teacher service. In February 2022, the Visiting Teacher provided assistance in relation to this student’s assistive technology. More recently, a new visiting teacher has taken over the caseload for this area, and a visit to the school is scheduled for the coming weeks. The NCSE visiting teacher service will continue to support this student throughout the school year.
The SENO service is also available to the parents and school in order to offer advice and assistance in respect of this student.
537. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education the process that a secondary school can follow to employ a qualified individual to "only" coordinate special education needs in the school; the additional allowances that this school obtain to employ this qualified person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54403/22]
View answerUnder the Education Act 1998 the school Board of Management (BOM) is the body charged with the direct governance of a school, and it is the BOM which employs the staff at the school. The allocation of duties to staff is also a matter for the BOM as the employer.
Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.
The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.
