Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1436: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to ensure that all teachers and assistants have access to specialist training. [47996/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has provided for a comprehensive system of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the area of special educational needs. Central to this is the "Special Education Support Service" (SESS) which was established in September 2003. The service consolidates co-ordinates, develops and delivers a range of professional development initiatives and support structures for school personnel working with students with special educational needs in a variety of educational settings. These settings include mainstream primary and post-primary schools, special schools and special classes.

The CPD provided by the SESS covers a range of specialities, including inter alia:

Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)

Dyslexia

Challenging Behaviour

Post-primary issues in Special Educational Needs

Specialist training for Autism Units attached to schools

The SESS has also been involved in the provision of intensive CPD for teachers working in new Autism Units opened since 2007. Delivery of this CPD begins prior to their entry to the units and continues following the opening of the unit with ongoing in school support as well as programmes of CPD. Furthermore, as part of an initiative rolled out for the 08/09 school year, teachers can have SESS CPD in the area of ASDs accredited by St Angela's College in Sligo.

My Department is in the process of establishing a Special Educational Needs Behaviour Team as part of the SESS. This team will have responsible for the delivery of CPD and support to consolidate teachers' knowledge and skills in behavioural support and in the application of behavioural principles to learning through the use of contemporary applied behaviour analysis strategies. A person has already been appointed to oversee this programme and they will have a support team working with them, three of whom have been appointed recently.

In addition, my Department funds several third level courses in teacher training colleges and universities. These include:

Combined Post-Graduate Diploma Programme of Continuing Professional Development for Teachers involved in Learning Support & Special Education (available in seven colleges across the country) (300 places available annually).

Masters in Special Educational Needs (St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra) (16 places available annually)

Graduate Certificate in the education of pupils with ASD (St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra) (18 places available annually)

Online Certificate/Diploma in Education (Special/Inclusive Education) (150 places available annually)

My Department and the Centre For Deaf Studies in Trinity College, Dublin are currently in the process of developing a new programme of continuing professional development. This programme will be designed to provide teachers with the skills necessary for the design, implementation and evaluation of learning and teaching programmes for students who have a hearing impairment and who are learning through the medium of Irish Sign Language. It is expected the programme will be available to teachers in 2009.

It is estimated that over 25,000 places will be provided to teachers for Continuing Professional Development in Special Educational Needs in 2009, rising from 23,283 places in 2008.

In terms of training for Special Needs Assistants, my Department currently funds a certificate for Special Needs Assistants delivered by:

St. Angela's college, Sligo (55 places available annually)

Mary Immaculate College, Limerick (45 places available annually)

Church of Ireland College of Education, Rathmines (25 places available annually)

Introductory courses are also provided through Education Centres, which can be taken as a stand alone course or as part of the above-mentioned certificate.