Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2004
253 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science if further to Question No. 118 of 24 June, 2004, when it is envisaged to inform the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20054/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is my intention that all applications for special educational resources received by 30 June 2004 including the application for the person in question will be responded to before the commencement of the 2004-05 school year.
254 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will approve resource teacher support for a person (details supplied); the reason for the delay in approving the support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20058/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my Department received an application for special education resources (SER) for the pupil referred to by the Deputy.
It is my intention that all applications for special education resources received by 30 June 2004 will be responded to before the commencement of the 2004-05 school year. Applications for resource teacher support that were received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 for which a response is outstanding have been considered and schools have now been notified of the outcome. This outcome indicates to schools the resources that may be put in place immediately. Applications received after 31 August 2003 and by 30 June 2004, including the one for the person in question, will be processed in the near future and the outcome will be notified to schools before the commencement of the 2004-05 school year.
The teacher allocations involved will be made in the context of a new weighted system which I announced recently. An additional 350 teacher posts are being provided to facilitate the introduction of the new system. The new system will involve a general weighted allocation for all primary schools to cater for pupils with higher incidence special educational needs, for example, those with borderline mild and mild general learning disability, specific learning disability, and also those with learning support needs. It will also allow for individual allocations in respect of pupils with lower incidence special educational needs.
The weighted allocation will be made as follows: in the most disadvantaged schools as per the urban dimension of Giving Children an Even Break, a teacher of pupils with special educational needs will be allocated for every 80 pupils to cater for the subset of pupils with higher incidence special needs; in all boys schools, the ratio will be one teacher for every 140 pupils; in mixed schools, or all girls schools with an enrolment of greater than 30% boys, one for every 150 pupils; and, in all girls schools including schools with mixed junior classes but with 30% or less boys overall, one for every 200 pupils. It is intended that the details of the new model will be set out in a comprehensive circular to issue to schools for the commencement of the new school year.
The weighted allocation will enable teaching support to be provided to pupils with higher incidence special educational needs and this will obviate the need for schools to submit individual applications for pupils in the higher incidence categories. Schools may continue to apply for specific teacher allocations in respect of pupils with lower incidence disabilities.
My Department now proposes to devise clusters in respect of allocations to be made under the weighted model. Sanction for the filling of posts will be considered in the context of these clusters and the weighted arrangements. The Department will communicate with schools in this regard before the commencement of the coming school year.
Special needs assistants may be approved to support a pupil who has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or other pupils. The criteria used for the assessment of the need for special needs assistant support is outlined in the Department's circular 07/02 which may be accessed on my Department's website, www.education.ie, under the heading Children with Special Needs.
I wish to refer the Deputy to circular SP ED 09/04 which may also be accessed on my Department's website. The circular advises schools that have applied for special needs assistant support that they will be advised of the outcome of their applications as soon as possible in advance of the next school year.
