Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 October 2013
90. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the resource hours available to pupils with a rare syndrome called I.P. 36 Deletion, part of 1st Chromosome deleted and only 12 in the country in primary schools. [44039/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that in primary schools, additional teaching supports for pupils with special education needs are provided though two channels.
Under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, schools are resourced to cater for pupils whose educational psychological assessment places them in the high incidence, or less complex, disability category. All mainstream Primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the GAM to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs.
Seperately, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates additional resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. Schools were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013/14 school year by 15th March 2013 and the NCSE has published details of Resource Teaching allocations for all schools on its website www.ncse.ie, based on the number of valid applications received.
In order to meet any late demand for resource teaching support which may have arisen between 15th March, 2013 and the start of the school year, the NCSE requested all schools to submit outstanding applications for resource teaching support to the NCSE by 20th September, 2013. A small number of applications have also been received after 20th September, which are still under consideration. The NCSE intend to notify schools of revised resource teaching allocations in the coming weeks.
It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of additional teaching support, including support allocated under the GAM, to best support the needs of identified pupils, in accordance with my Department's guidance. 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.
