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

I thank Senator Healy Eames for raising this matter. I met earlier this morning with a group of parents from Down Syndrome Ireland on this issue. It is something I am conscious of and I know the Senator has described some of the issues well.

Under the existing system, all pupils with Down syndrome, including those in the mild range, are entitled to receive additional teaching support through the GAM, or general allocation model, or from an allocation of additional resource teaching hours allocated by the NCSE. It should be noted that whether resource teaching hours are allocated to schools under the GAM or through an allocation made by the NCSE based on an individual assessment of low-incidence special needs, it is a matter for schools to utilise and manage those resources to best provide for the teaching needs of qualifying children.

Each school will use its professional judgment to decide how the provision of additional resource teaching time and hours is made to qualifying pupils in the school to ensure that all their individual needs are met. Schools have discretion as to how they allocate their general hours to pupils. Whereas schools will have regard to the number of pupils who require additional teaching support, they are not constrained as to the number of hours they may allocate to a pupil who may have Down's syndrome and a mild learning disability. Schools may also increase the amount of additional teaching time they provide to pupils by using a combination of individualised teaching time with pair and group work.

The NCSE was asked to provide policy advice on the issue of whether Down's syndrome should be reclassified as a low-incidence disability in all instances, regardless of assessed cognitive ability. In its policy advice, the NCSE stated that it could not establish an evidence base to support a recommendation that a child with Down's syndrome should be allocated supports over and above other children with mild learning disabilities or children with other syndromes that also have associated co-occurring conditions. However, the NCSE also recommended that, under the new resource allocation model, children should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category, which is the new model proposed.

The Senator is aware that I intend to retain the current model for the coming school year in order to ensure that sufficient time is allowed for further consultation but also in regard to the issues around complex needs, on which we do not yet have full information. I am aware that some parents and organisations representing children with Down's syndrome continue to have concerns that the existing system does not give them certainty as to the number of resource teaching hours that may be allocated to their child under the general allocation model, as these hours are distributed locally by schools. As I said, I met a group in Leinster House this morning. I intend to meet with more parents over the coming week and will certainly be listening to colleagues in the Oireachtas as well. I will consider the issues they have raised and keep the Senator informed of my developing views on this matter.