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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 3

Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.

John Dennehy

Ceist:

370 Mr. Dennehy asked the Minister for Education and Science details of the increase in funding for persons with special needs in recent years; his current plans for the development of such services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20043/02]

Up to October 1998, my Department's capacity to respond to individual children with special needs was dictated by resource availability. This changed with a Government decision in October 1998 whereby children assessed as having special educational needs in primary schools have an automatic entitlement to a response to their needs, irrespective of their level of need or location.

In October 1998, my Department for the first time recognised the distinct educational needs of children on the autistic spectrum. Prior to this decision, these children were placed in facilities catering for mild learning disabilities or emotional disturbance. Arising from this recognition, provision for children with autism is made available in dedicated special classes. Each special class caters for a maximum of six pupils. Each class operates at a pupil teacher ratio of 6:1 and has the support of at least two special needs assistants. More than 90 such classes have been established to date.
While my Department's policy is to ensure the maximum possible integration of children with special needs into ordinary mainstream schools, students who have been assessed as having special educational needs have access to a range of special support services. The services range from special schools dedicated to particular disability groups, through special classes/units attached to ordinary schools, to placement on an integrated basis in ordinary schools, with special back-up supports. The number of special classes has grown from 350 to over 500 since 1998. Such facilities operate at a reduced pupil teacher ratio. These facilities also attract special rates of capitation funding which is at least three times the normal rate and can range from €363 for children with mild disabilities to €582.50 for children with severe disabilities.
Children attending school on a fully integrated basis are supported by the resource teacher service and the special needs assistant service. There were 104 resource posts at primary level in 1998. At present, there are in excess of 2,200 whole-time equivalent resource teachers supporting children with disabilities in ordinary primary schools at a cost of over €70 million per annum.
There are currently in the region of 4,500 special needs assistants in place in primary schools supporting children with special educational needs on an integrated basis at a cost in excess of €95 million annually. The level of special need assistants has increased from less than 300 in 1998. Additional resource teachers and special needs assistants are being allocated by my Department on an ongoing basis in response to assessed needs.
My Department allocates funding towards the provision of home based tuition to children who are too ill to attend school or as an interim measure while a suitable school placement is being sourced. The cost of providing this service has increased from €5.04 million in 1998 to the present level of over €10 million.
Expenditure on the school escort service has grown from €190,000 to the current level of over €3 million since 1998. Funding for the special equipment needs of children with disabilities has also increased from €671,000 to €3.8 million during the same period.
The number of learning support teachers has grown from 1,242 to 1,531 since 1998 at an annual cost of approximately €53.6 million. These teachers address the literacy and numeracy difficulties experienced by pupils in primary schools.
A key development on the structural front has been the Government's decision to approve the establishment of the national council for special education. The national council, which will have a local presence, will play a key role in the development and delivery of services for persons with special needs. It will also have a research and advisory role and will establish expert groups to address particular areas of special needs provision. It will also establish a consultative forum to facilitate inputs from the education partners and other interested parties. Arrangements for the establishment of the council are now well advanced. I expect that a chief executive will be appointed to the council shortly and that the council will be vested and operational by the end of March 2003.
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