Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Under the existing allocation system, all pupils with Down's syndrome, including those with mild general learning difficulties, are entitled to receive additional teaching support. Support is provided from a school's general allocation model hours, or from an allocation of additional resource teacher hours allocated to schools by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. In the current school year, my Department has allocated approximately 4,950 learning support-resource teachers through general allocation, while the NCSE has allocated more than 6,200 resource teachers.

I am aware that some parents, and Down's syndrome representative organisations, are concerned that the existing system does not provide certainty as to the support their children will receive under the general allocation model because these hours are distributed locally by schools. I recently met representatives from Down Syndrome Ireland and some parents of children with Down's syndrome to discuss their concerns in this regard. I will be meeting with more parents this week. I will consider and review the issues which have been raised and will keep the House informed of my developing views on this matter.

See this speech in context