Special Educational Needs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2010

Wednesday, 29 September 2010

Ceisteanna (189, 190, 191)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

262 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will support a matter (details supplied). [32267/10]

Olivia Mitchell

Ceist:

301 Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements that were made for the education of the 24 children who turned up to start school at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 and were told that there was not a place for them there; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33143/10]

Charlie O'Connor

Ceist:

307 Deputy Charlie O’Connor asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm contact with a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 in respect of staffing issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33244/10]

Freagraí scríofa

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 262, 301 and 307 together.

The Deputies will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream and special schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's policy in allocating this support.

The Deputies will also be aware that 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.

The NCSE has advised my Department that the school concerned had sufficient teaching resources in place to cater for the special educational needs of all of the pupils proposed for enrolment at the beginning of the school year. I understand that the NCSE is actively engaging with the school authorities to ensure that any outstanding applications for support will be processed once the appropriate information has been provided to the school's assigned Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO).

I can confirm that my Department has been in contact with the school in question, by letter of 3rd September, to clarify issues raised by them in relation to the school's enrolment policy and also to advise of the role of the NCSE regarding the determination of support levels for pupils with special educational needs in special schools.

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.

I wish to assure the Deputies that supports will continue to be made available to schools which have enrolled pupils who qualify for such support and children with special educational needs will continue to have access to an appropriate education in line with my Department's policy.