Dáil debates
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
Adjournment Debate
Special Educational Needs.
9:00 am
John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for choosing this matter on the Adjournment. I want to appeal in the strongest possible way against the proposed reduction of four special needs assistants in St. Anthony's school, Castlebar.
The school has 40 students, ranging in age from four to 18, all of whom have mild general learning difficulties. However, many have other conditions such as Down's syndrome, ADD. ADHT, autism, cerebral palsy and speech disorders, to name but a few. I have visited the school and spoken to many of the parents who are full of glowing praise as regards the wonderful progress their children are making due to the diligence and commitment of all the staff, including the special needs assistants.
The key issue in this whole matter is that the criteria being used for the review of special needs assistant numbers is the same as that in use for mainstream schools. This is unfair, unjust and discriminates against the most vulnerable in our society who cannot speak for themselves. At present the school is just at coping level with six classes, including one for multi-disabled students. Each class has two special needs assistants and there is a nurse who cares for the medical needs of the pupils. The whole school evaluation carried out last January outlined the vital necessity of the 13 special needs assistants time and again. The proposed cut of four SNAs, special needs assistants, or 30% of staff is due to be implemented by Easter, only a short number of weeks away. This decision must be reversed.
I am pleased to share my time with Deputy Flynn tonight. This issue is above politics. As we speak, a public meeting is taking place in Castlebar which is waiting for the answer from the Minister of State. I urge Deputy Flynn to use whatever pressure is at her disposal to correct this matter. The campaign starting tonight in Castlebar is only the beginning. A positive answer here could result in the end of the campaign and the securing of employment for the four staff due to be cut. Otherwise, this will come back to haunt the Government.
Beverley Flynn (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I am very pleased to speak on this issue tonight. As my colleague outlined, St. Anthony's national school in my home town of Castlebar caters for children with mild general learning difficulties. The children also have physical, emotional and behavioural difficulties. There are 40 pupils, six full-time teachers, three part-time teachers and 13 SNAs. It is a county-wide school, not only for pupils in my home town. It deals with pupils from Achill to Ballyhaunis in a county some 120 miles in diameter.
A report reviewing the position of the SNAs in the school was carried out and will be presented tomorrow, along with an official decision from the National Council for Special Education. The recommendation will be that four SNAs will be cut from the school. It will retain the current number of teachers, but a cut of four SNAs, to be effective by Easter, is simply unacceptable.
A review of this school also took place in March 2007 using similar criteria. At the time, only two short years ago, the current level of SNAs was approved. There were 39 pupils in the school at the time, whereas there are 40 there today. Of those 40 pupils, it is worth bearing in mind that ten are autistic, three are visually impaired, two have cerebral palsy, one is deaf, two have hearing impairments, three have epilepsy, two are grossly obese, one is in a wheelchair, one has high anxiety and nine have dyslexia. They also have behavioural difficulties, multi-sensory problems, personal care needs, one child has attention deficit hyperactive disorder, ADHD, another child has brittle bone syndrome and there are children from five nationalities in the school.
I am very uncomfortable with the independent review process carried out by the National Council for Special Education in this case and I am very uncomfortable with independent studies carried out at arm's length from the Department. When such decisions are taken, the flak comes on politicians although we have had no input. I do not like this and such reviews should be carried out by the Department of Education and Science where, at least, as politicians, we can answer for the decisions taken. It is completely unacceptable that any change would occur during the middle of the year. To take away four SNAs during the middle of a year is simply not acceptable. It is also very disappointing that when this decision becomes official tomorrow, the only avenue open to the school is an appeal process. This school should not have to go through an appeal process because it should be treated differently.
SNAs in a special needs school fulfil a different role from those in mainstream schools. They are not simply SNAs, but also classroom assistants. The SNAs in this school have first aid skills and sign language, some have braille skills, they have completed crisis prevention courses and two of the SNAs drive the school bus. Many of the SNAs provide a bus escort service in the school from 7.15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Such is the dedication of the staff.
A whole school evaluation was carried out some time ago for this school. It received a fantastic result and the Department can check this fact. The school had been informed that one blind child is entitled to 0.25 of an SNA. That is an absolutely crazy decision and it is completely unacceptable that such a determination could result from any review. Ten autistic children have been allocated to four SNAs and one special class has been allocated one SNA. I appeal to the Minister of State to bring the message to the Minister for Education and Science to treat special needs schools differently from mainstream schools and to reverse this decision because it is simply not acceptable.
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buÃochas leis na Teachtaà as ucht an ábhar tábhachtach seo a chur os comhair na Dála. Tá mé ag freagairt thar ceann an Aire Oideachais agus EolaÃochta. I wish to make very clear that the education of children with special educational needs has been and remains a key priority for the Government. It has put vast resources into schools to enable them to meet the needs of children with special educational needs. In excess of â¬1 billion was spent within the education system for this purpose last year. Students with disabilities will continue to receive support as they have for the past ten years.
I emphasise what is really important. Schools which have enrolled children who qualify for support for a special needs assistant, SNA, will continue to be allocated SNA support. This scheme is under way at present. The National Council for Special Education continues to process applications from schools for SNA support. The SNA scheme has been a major factor in both ensuring the successful integration of children with special educational needs into mainstream education and providing support to pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes. The SNA scheme will continue to be supported. The terms and criteria for the SNA scheme have not changed. Where the criteria are met, SNA posts are being allocated.
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputies there is no question of posts being removed from schools where they meet the scheme's criteria.
Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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However, there is also no question of posts being left in schools indefinitely where they are deemed to be surplus to the care needs of the pupils or where the pupils themselves have left. In the SNA allocation process the allocation for any school and any adjustments to that allocation depend on a number of factors such as the number of pupils with care and medical needs who leave, the number of new pupils and the changing care needs of existing pupils in the school. SNA allocations are, therefore, not permanent. They are increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. They are also decreased where a child's care needs may have diminished over time. The Deputies will be aware that the NCSE, National Council for Special Education, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is responsible for allocating resource teachers and SNAs to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within the criteria of the Department of Education and Science in allocating such support. The NCSE is independent in the making and issuing of its decisions relating to the allocation of such supports.
The Department of Education and Science requested the NCSE to review all SNA posts because the Department had become aware that a number of SNA posts were in schools where the care needs of the pupils in the schools concerned did not justify such an allocation. Accordingly, the Department requested that the NCSE carry out a nationwide review of all schools to ensure that SNA posts were allocated to schools in line with the care needs of the pupils and that any excess posts would be withdrawn.
The NCSE, through its network of SENOs, is carrying out a review of SNA allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. SENOs are communicating the outcome of the review directly to schools as the review progresses. It is expected that the NCSE will have completed the review by the end of March this year.
The Deputies are fully aware that the Department of Education and Science has prioritised the provision of special education supports to schools, a key Government policy. However, this does not mean that resources allocated in response to various historical factors are retained in schools ad infinitum. At a time of constrained resources it is essential to ensure that public resources are deployed as effectively as possible. Resources left in an area that are not in accordance with criteria mean public resources are not available for another deserving area.
Deputies will share the Minister's concern to ensure a consistent application of policy in respect of the allocation of special needs supports throughout the country, which amounts to what is taking place at the moment. The Minister for Education and Science assures the Deputies that supports will continue to be made available to schools which have enrolled pupils who qualify for such support. I thank the Deputies again for raising this matter.