Written answers

Thursday, 27 September 2007

Department of Education and Science

Special Educational Needs

5:00 pm

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of autism units in primary and secondary schools; the number of students in the autism units in each of these schools; the number of children on waiting lists for entry to the autism units in each of schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21287/07]

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will grant recognition to the ABA schools awaiting recognition by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21288/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 139 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for the establishment of special classes for autism and for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs.

In excess of 265 autism-specific classes at primary and post primary level have now been approved around the country. The NCSE will continue to establish autism provision where the need arises and in particular where pupils are on waiting lists for classes. Each special class attracts a staffing of 1 teacher and a minimum of 2 SNAs per group comprising a maximum of six pupils. Additional SNAs are allocated on a case by case basis if deemed appropriate.

The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government commits to the long-term funding for the centres that are currently in the ABA pilot scheme subject to agreement with my Department on standards that will enable the Department to support them as primary schools for children with autism and I am pleased to advise her that discussions have commenced in this regard.

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason her Department does not provide assistance to parents of autistic children to try to locate tutors; if her attention has been drawn the difficulties they have in obtaining them in some areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21289/07]

Photo of Olwyn EnrightOlwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of autistic children receiving financial support to attend pre-school; the average cost per child for one year of such schooling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21290/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 141 together.

The Deputy will be aware that the home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and also to provide early intervention for pre-school children with autism.

Children diagnosed with autism are eligible for 10 hours home tuition per week from age 2.5 and the allocation increases to 20 hours per week when they reach 3 years of age. The associated cost reflects the appropriate part time teacher's rate of payment and the actual hours undertaken. My Department sanctioned home tuition for approximately four hundred children of a pre-school age during the 2006/2007 school year.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, cognisant of the difficulties being experienced by parents in securing home tutors the Programme for Government commits to providing a central database of suitably trained personnel seeking employment as home tutors.

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