Special Educational Needs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 May 2010

Thursday, 6 May 2010

Ceisteanna (193, 194, 195)

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

194 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of places available at primary and second level schools throughout the country, on a county basis, for children with autism, Asperger’s, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or similar learning difficulties as set out or required by local school authorities; the degree to which such requirements are likely to be met in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18604/10]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

199 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs places available throughout the country at primary or second level on a county basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18609/10]

Freagraí scríofa

Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 194 and 199 together.

Children with special educational needs, including the specific conditions mentioned by the Deputy, have a range of placement options available to them. The level and extent of resources provided to support pupils with special educational needs depend on the precise nature of the special educational need of the particular pupil. Supports can include the allocation of additional resource teaching support, special needs assistants, special school transport arrangements and grants for specialist equipment and/or assistive technology. School buildings may be adapted where necessary.

Many children with special needs, including those mentioned by the Deputy, attend mainstream schools alongside their peers. Depending on the extent of their special educational need, these children may receive support from the school's Learning Support teacher and/or additional tuition hours provided by a Resource teacher and/or support from a Special Needs Assistant.

Other children with such special educational needs attend a special class attached to a mainstream school while some children attend a special school. These children are supported through lower pupil teacher ratios and, where necessary, special needs assistants.

The enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment in schools and therefore the information requested by the Deputy is not available within my Department.

The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs), co-ordinates special needs education provision at local level. SENOs act as single points of contact for parents of students with special educational needs. SENOs work with schools to sanction additional special class provision as necessary.

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.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

195 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of resource or special needs teachers currently required at primary and or second level schools throughout the country, on a county basis, as set out by the various school authorities; the degree to which any outstanding requirements are likely to be met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18605/10]

Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan)

The overall national total number of whole time equivalent teaching posts allocated for special needs provision is just under 8,000 at Primary level and 2,775 at Post Primary level in the 2009/10 school year. The level of detail sought by the Deputy on a county basis would take some time to collate within my Department. My Department's Teacher Allocation Section is currently focused on the initial work for the allocation of staffing for the coming school year and I do not propose to divert them from this work at this key time in the allocation process.

The general allocation model was introduced in primary schools in September 2005 to ensure that each school has learning support/resource teaching support available to meet the needs of children with high incidence special educational needs. The allocation system under the general allocation model was linked to the school's enrolment in 2005 and it was decided not to review this aspect until the model had been in operation for three years. This review is now under way. The allocation to schools is however enhanced in the case of schools experiencing large increases in enrolment and which satisfy the conditions under my Department's Developing School Criteria.

Schools decide themselves how best to use this allocation based on the needs of the pupils and how to adjust their support in line with the changing needs of pupils as they mature. My Department provided a circular SP ED 02/05 to schools to assist them in deploying the General Allocation Model resources.

The Deputy will be aware that my Department's policy is to support the inclusive education of students with special educational needs across the schools system. In this context, a range of supports are provided to schools to enable them cater for pupils with special educational needs. The supports available include additional teaching support, special needs assistant support, school transport and grants for the purchase of teaching materials and specialised equipment.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports. 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.