Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
463 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the educational support provided to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo during their primary school years has ceased on their commencement of secondary school; and if this case will be reconsidered and adequate support given to this person. [22012/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department allocates resource teaching support and special needs assistant support to second level schools and vocational Educational Committees to cater for pupils with special educational needs. Applications for such support are made to my Department by the relevant school authority. Each application is considered on the basis of the assessed needs of the pupils involved and the nature and level of support provided is determined on the advice of the Psychological Service.
The school in question has been allocated 66.9 hours per week additional teacher support to address the special educational needs of pupils enrolled, including the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The level of teaching support allocated was determined after detailed consideration of the school's application, the supporting documentation provided, including the recommendations made by NEPS, national educational psychological service, and having regard to the overall level of resources already available to the school.
464 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science when the special needs assistance will be appointed, for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [22013/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that an application for the upgrade from part-time to full-time special needs assistant, SNA, support has been received from St. Patrick's national school for the pupil referred to by the Deputy.
The position is that my Department prioritised applications for SNA support for new entrants and decisions on the majority of these were communicated to schools on 12 August. My officials are continuing to communicate with schools in respect of other new entrant cases as additional supporting information is provided.
Generally, it has been my intention for some time to carry out an overall review of SNA support levels and deployment in mainstream national schools. Bearing in mind the view expressed by schools that any such review should have regard to the actual situation on the ground, I have decided that the process should involve a visit to each school which has SNA support. Arrangements are being made for this review to commence at an early date and a further communication will issue to schools in this regard. Decisions regarding the appropriate level of SNA support in individual schools, having regard to outstanding applications such as the one referred to by the Deputy, will be based on the outcome of this review.
Pending notification of the outcome, schools have been advised by my Department that, if they have surplus SNA capacity, they may retain the excess up to the level of applications made to the Department for which a response is awaited.
