Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 February 2017
202. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available for children in the education system who have been diagnosed with narcolepsy; and the funding for these supports in each year from 2009 to 2016. [9520/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has provided information to all schools in regarding the condition of Narcolepsy, likely symptoms and the effect of the condition of Narcolepsy on students.
The information provided for schools also set out the possible accommodations which can be made for children with Narcolepsy in schools.
The purpose of providing such information to schools was to increase the awareness of schools in relation to this little known condition, to assist them in recognising symptoms, and to give some guidance for schools on the accommodations and supports which may be provided for children with Narcolepsy. This information has also been provided to the National Council for Special Education and the National Educational Psychological Services.
Additional educational supports may be made for children, if necessary, with medical conditions such as Narcolepsy. If it is considered that a child requires additional teaching assistance in school, due to the effect of their illness on their learning ability and participation in school, learning support may be provided for the child from the school's resource teaching/learning support provision.
A new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post primary schools will be introduced from September 2017. This new model will be a fairer and better way to allocate resources to support children with Special Educational Needs.
An additional 900 teaching posts have been provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model. This substantial additional provision will ensure that up to 1,000 schools will receive additional allocations, where the new model indicates additional need. No school will receive an allocation of resources less than the allocation they received in the 2016/17 school year.
The Special Education Home Tuition scheme provides a compensatory educational service to children with a significant medical condition which is likely to cause major disruption to their attendance at school on a continuing basis. Eligibility under this provision is assessed with reference to a completed medical report and attendance records supplied by the school in which the pupil is enrolled. The maximum allocation of home tuition hours for children with a medical ailment is 10 hours per week, with the allocation reflecting the age of the child and their level of attendance.
In some instances access to Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support may be provided for children who do not have an assessed disability, but whose medical condition is such that they require access to care support in order to be able to attend school. If a school or parent considers that their child has care needs arising from the medical condition Narcolepsy, such that they might require access to SNA support in order to attend school, the school may assist the pupil from within their existing SNA allocation or make an application to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for SNA support for their child. The NCSE is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools.
Post primary school students with special needs may have special arrangements made for them while sitting State examinations such as the Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate. Candidates with disabilities can apply through their school for reasonable accommodation during examinations.
Students with Narcolepsy can access the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) scheme, which is a college/university scheme which offers enhanced access routes to third level education for pupils with disabilities. Further details are available at www.accesscollege.ie/.
Details of funding for individual disabilities is not recorded by my Department and is therefore, not available in relation to supports for children with narcolepsy.
