Special Educational Needs.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2009

Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Ceisteanna (410, 411, 412, 413, 414, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

448 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will support a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [6982/09]

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

456 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7022/09]

Mary Upton

Ceist:

459 Deputy Mary Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will review the decision to remove the provision of a special class teacher from a school (details supplied) in Dublin 8. [7046/09]

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

470 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will support a school (details supplied) in its efforts to retain its special needs teacher. [7127/09]

Ulick Burke

Ceist:

486 Deputy Ulick Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science the provision he will make for special needs pupils who have lost out following his recent cuts at primary school level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7459/09]

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

489 Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason he has selected a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5 for suppression of a special class; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7491/09]

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

502 Deputy Fergus O’Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on correspondence in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7624/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

503 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the effects that his decision to abolish primary school special needs classes is having on the young people who have been helped for a number of years by special needs teachers and assistants, as in the case of a person (details supplied); and when he will reverse the cutbacks. [7625/09]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Ceist:

505 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Science the educational reason behind his decision for cutting special needs teachers for over 900 pupils in more than 100 schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7630/09]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 448, 456, 459, 470, 486, 489, 502, 503 and 505 together.

The Deputies will be aware that all primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to enable them support pupils with high incidence special educational needs including mild general learning disability (MGLD). All primary schools were given these additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model of learning support/resource teaching introduced in 2005. Schools can decide how best to use this allocation based on the needs of the pupils. Most pupils with a MGLD are included in ordinary classes with their peers and are supported by their class teacher. The curriculum is flexible so that teachers can cater for the needs of children of different abilities.

The Deputies will be aware that allocations to schools typically increase or decrease depending on pupil enrolment. In the case of classes for MGLD the normal pupil teacher ratio that applies is 11:1. My Department however allows for a small reduction in this number and permits schools to retain a teaching post where it has a minimum of 9 pupils in the class. In the schools in question, the number of pupils dropped below this minimum. These schools therefore are no longer entitled to the teaching posts in these classes. I would like to clarify for Deputy Ó Snodaigh that the total enrolment in these classes is 534 pupils.

In 2005 when the General Allocation Model was introduced, schools with additional teachers in classes for MGLD were allowed to retain the teachers for these classes. Effectively, these schools received a double allocation. The number of these special classes has decreased over the years and schools have integrated the children into age-appropriate mainstream classes. All of the other primary schools in the country who do not have classes for children with MGLD cater for these pupils from within the General Allocation Model.

Pat Breen

Ceist:

449 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will continue to provide services in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6985/09]

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe)

As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for such assistance and where there are identified care needs arising from a diagnosed disability. A pupil's level of care may diminish over time as the child matures. Pupils may move to a different school or on to post-primary school. In such situations, the NCSE will review and adjust the SNA support required in the school. This may mean that some pupils who had previously been supported by a full time SNA may have their needs met through the shared support of an SNA or perhaps they may have no need for SNA support. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

My officials have been in contact with the NCSE regarding special needs assistant support for the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The NCSE have confirmed that the child in question has access to a full-time shared SNA and that this level of SNA support is considered sufficient to meet his care needs. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.