Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:1040 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Science the proposals he has to replace assistants in primary schools who are due to be withdrawn on 19 October 2001. [21378/01]
Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.
I have recently secured the transfer of £46 million per annum to my Department on a phased basis between now and 2003, as the FÁS school-based community employment – CE – schemes come to an end. The availability of this funding will enable me to remove certain anomalies which exist in relation to the provision of secretarial and caretaking services to schools and also put in place an equitable system of funding for ancillary services. My Department will receive a total of £32 million in this school year.
Proposals for the redistribution of the moneys received this year at primary and post primary levels are now near finalisation and details on the new funding arrangements will issue to all schools very shortly. This will give a major boost to schools throughout the country and represents the implementation of an important commitment in the programme for Government and in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
I would add, however, that I recently agreed with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and FÁS that all school-based CE participants with a legitimate expectation of up to three years participation in a school-based CE scheme will be facilitated to complete their full term. This adjustment to the phasing out of CE schemes in schools means that certain CE participants may be entitled to continue working in CE in schools up to and including 2004, depending on their individual circumstances and entitlements under CE. There is no question that all FÁS participants on CE schemes in primary schools are due to be withdrawn from schools on 19 October 2001. While this may be the case in individual schools, I am confident that schools will welcome the new guidelines that will be issued shortly by my Department, and which will outline the new funding arrangements.
Schools that used CE participants as classroom assistants to assist with the care of pupils with disabilities should note that my Department has a special needs assistant scheme in place for such purposes. School authorities may apply for the services of a special needs assistant to assist in catering for pupils with special care needs arising from a disability. In order to apply for a special needs assistant post, schools should contact their school inspector. Complete details of any pupils who require support from a special needs assistant should be given to the inspector, together with supporting reports from relevant care professionals. Further details on the special needs assistant scheme are available from special education section, Department of Education and Science, Athlone, County Westmeath.
Brian O'Shea
Ceist:1041 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science the back-up services, such as educational psychology, which are being provided to all special educational units set up for autistic children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21379/01]
The national educational psychological service provides initial screening and assessment prior to the referral of pupils to the special educational units for autistic children. Schools which do not yet have the services of a psychologist from NEPS, may have such assessment as is necessary carried out privately in accordance with my recent announcement on this initiative. Support for pupils attending the units is also provided by the autistic teams, under the auspices of the relevant health boards.