Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
680. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of posts offered for the role of ISL classroom support to date in 2023; the number of posts filled to date; and how many posts were filled by the beginning of the school year 2023. [38504/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
For 2023, the spend by my department on special education has been substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.
This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the department’s total allocation for 2023.
This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
In 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 SNAs.
For the first time ever there will be over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 SNAs. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs.
A national recruitment campaign for the Irish Sign Language – specialist classroom support (ISL-SCS) resulted in a panel of seven individuals being formed at the end of June. When an application for ISL-SCS is received and validated by the NCSE an offer is made to a candidate on the panel.
Currently one valid application from a school has been received, and an offer has been made to the candidate in relation to completing the filling of this post. Further offers will be made to candidates on the panel when applications are received by the NCSE.
The second role, of ISL advisor, has a broader remit and will work to try to build capacity in ISL across the school community including teachers, SNAs, other school staff and other students. A national advertising campaign for the ISL advisor is commencing in September following unsuccessful pilot campaigns in the south of the country earlier this year.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
