Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A number of sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 have been commenced, including those establishing the National Council for Special Education and those promoting an inclusive approach to the education of children.

Under the programme for a partnership Government, I will initiate consultation with stakeholders on how best to progress sections of the Act which were introduced on a non-statutory basis.

At present, all schools are encouraged to use education plans. The departmental inspectorate's advice is that the majority of schools are now using some form of individual education planning for children with special needs.

In line with circular 30 of 2014, schools are required to put in place a personal pupil plan, including a care plan, for each pupil availing of SNA support. While it is awaiting the full implementation of the EPSEN Act, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has published a number of policy advice papers which make recommendations aimed at developing a better or more effective alternative to the current resource allocation model and moving the system towards the ultimate implementation of the EPSEN Act. As I said to Deputy Thomas Byrne, the alternative model is being piloted in 47 schools. The ideas that will come out of that pilot will be used to make progress with the implementation of the EPSEN Act. The implementation of the Disability Act and the timeframes for assessments of need under that Act are primarily matters for my colleague, the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris.

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