Written answers

Wednesday, 16 November 2005

Department of Education and Science

Special Educational Needs

9:00 pm

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 386: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to change the current teaching of special needs students in view of the fact that the learning support for the mainstreaming of pupils with special needs is entirely inadequate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34755/05]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the general allocation of learning support/resource teachers, LS/RTs, is intended to cater for children with learning support and high incidence special educational needs. The system was constructed so that LS/RT allocations would be based on pupil numbers, taking into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and the evidence that boys have greater difficulties than girls in this regard.

The new system has a number of benefits associated with it. It puts resources in place on a more systematic basis, thereby giving schools more certainty about their resource levels. It facilitates early intervention as the resource is in place when the child enrols. It reduces the need for individual applications and supporting psychological assessments. It allows flexibility to school management in the deployment of resources, leading to a more effective and efficient delivery of services.

In introducing the general allocation system transitional arrangements were also introduced whereby transitional hours were allocated to schools to cater for children for whom individual teaching resources had previously been allocated but which it would not have been possible for the school to continue to provide from its general allocation. In the circumstances no child should have experienced a loss of resource teaching support.

In the circumstances I have no plans to change the current mechanism of allocating teaching resources to schools to support pupils with special educational needs. It is intended that a review of the general allocation model will be undertaken within three years of operation.

I am satisfied that at this stage the general allocation system is working well and has been favourably received by schools. My Department will continue to work with schools and the education partners with a view to ensuring that this remains the case going forward.

I would add that there are now over 5,000 teachers in our primary schools working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. This compares to fewer than 1,500 in 1998. Indeed, one out of every five primary school teachers is now working specifically with children with special needs.

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