Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 May 2005
455 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science if a person who has an allocation of special needs resource teacher support on a one-to-one basis will retain the same level of support on a one-to-one basis following the introduction of the weighted scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18304/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraFrom the next school year, each primary school will be allocated resource teaching hours based on its enrolment figures to cater for the needs of pupils with high-incidence special educational needs, such as dyslexia. Resources for these pupils were previously only considered on an individual application basis supported by psychological assessments. The time-consuming nature of this individual allocation process often led to delays in children getting the support they needed. Under the new system, the resource teachers will be in place in the school from the start of the school year, so that any child who needs their assistance can get it straight away.
This model reflects the fact that pupils with high-incidence special needs are distributed throughout the education system while taking into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and the evidence that boys have greater difficulties than girls in this regard.
Pupils with lower incidence special needs such as autism will continue to be catered for on an individual application basis as these children are not equally distributed throughout the school system. However, the establishment of the National Council for Special Education last January and the recruitment of 71 local special needs organisers throughout the country should greatly enhance the speed of response to such applications.
Transitional arrangements are being put in place that involve an interim allocation to certain schools to address the position of pupils with high incidence special education needs, SEN, who had been granted individual resource allocations by my Department under previous staffing allocation systems and who are in schools that would be due to have their staffing allocation in respect of high incidence children reduced if the new system were implemented without alteration. Any such schools with individualised resource allocations in respect of children in the high incidence categories will be allowed to retain the allocation for those pupils until the pupils leave. Schools are required to reduce the transitional allocations as pupils with these individual allocations leave. Schools that are entitled to a transitional allocation have been notified of that allocation by my Department. These transitional arrangements involve the allocation of more than 300 posts on a temporary basis.
Aside from these transitional arrangements, where a pupil has a high incidence disability or a learning support need, these needs will now be catered for from within the general allocation system. However, the general allocation model does not preclude the provision of support on a one-to-one basis for those children with high incidence special needs or learning support needs who require such intervention.
456 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science if consideration will be given in the context of the introduction of the weighted scheme to persons for whom a psychological report had been submitted to her Department recommending resource teaching support but for whom a decision had not been made pending the introduction of the weighted system; if she will include these persons in the transitional arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18307/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe transitional arrangements involve an interim allocation to certain schools to address the position of pupils with high incidence special education needs, SEN, who had been granted individual resource allocations by my Department under previous staffing allocation systems and who are in schools that would be due to have their staffing allocation in respect of high incidence children reduced if the new system were implemented without alteration. Any such schools with individualised resource allocations in respect of children in the high incidence categories will be allowed to retain the allocation for those pupils until the pupils leave. Schools are required to reduce the transitional allocations as pupils with these individual allocations leave. Schools that are entitled to a transitional allocation have been notified of that allocation by my Department. I do not intend to extend scope of the transitional arrangements that have been put in place.
Aside from these transitional arrangements, where a pupil has a high incidence disability or a learning support need, these needs will now be catered for from within the general allocation system. However, the general allocation model does not preclude the provision of support on a one-to-one basis for those children with high incidence special needs or learning support needs who require such intervention.
