My Department allocates resource teaching support and special needs assistants support to second level schools and vocational educational committees to cater for students with special educational needs. Applications for such support are made to my Department by the relevant school authority or VEC. Each application is considered on the basis of the assessed needs of the pupil(s) involved and the nature and level of support provided is determined on the advice of the psychological service.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school in question has been allocated additional resource teacher support to address the needs of the student in question and a number of other students with special educational needs attending the school. The school authorities have been notified accordingly.
The level of resource teaching allocated to the school in question by the Department was determined after detailed consideration of the school's application, the supporting documentation provided, including the recommendations made by the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and having regard to the overall level of resources already available to the school to address special needs issues. Regard was also had to the desirability of delivering support services for children with special needs on a group basis wherever possible.
The Department allocates resource teaching hours to the school to cater for the special needs pupils attending and it is a matter for the school to deploy this allocation having regard to the assessed needs of the individual students involved. Schools should also review this deployment in line with the evolving needs of the students.
If the school authority is of the view that its existing approved allocation is incapable of addressing the current level of assessed special needs, including those of the pupil in question, within the school, the Department will be prepared to consider the school's case.