Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2024
340. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if there is a full-time SENO available in County Westmeath; if so, where they are based; how the SENO can be contacted by parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16544/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers (SENOs), for fulfilling the functions of the Council in relation to the identification, delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with disabilities. The Council employs SENOs to provide a nationwide system of local services. Locally based SENOs consult widely with parents/guardians, teachers, health care professionals, school authorities, HSE and other relevant government agencies.
In Budget 2023, the government provided an additional €13 million for the expansion of services within the NCSE. This will mean an increase of up to 161 additional staff in the organisation, a workforce increase of 50%. As a result of the additional funding allocated to the NCSE, it is intended to increase the number of SENOs to approximately 120, from the previously sanctioned 73. They NCSE is progressively altering the current team structure, from a regional to a county basis with an assigned number of SENOs for each county.
The intake of new SENO grades has commenced and the recruitment process allows for training, induction, back-filling and the equitable distribution of cases on a county basis to new SENOs, without disrupting existing service to schools and children.
County Westmeath falls under North Team 1 which currently comprises of 6 SENOs, a team manager, regional manager and additional national support manager.
Parents are advised to consult the regional contact list on the NCSE website to ensure they have the most up-to-date contact details of their SENO, or the SENO covering for their area. The list gives the contact details for a local SENO in Westmeath, their office address, which is Government Buildings, Friar’s Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, and also their e-mail address and phone number.
