Written answers
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Department of Education and Skills
Special Educational Needs
8:00 pm
Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 148: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reason a report of development paediatrics evaluation was not accepted by him in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3488/11]
Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 149: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when a student (details supplied) in County Kildare will receive resource hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3489/11]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 148 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. In considering applications for teaching and SNA support for individual pupils, the SENOs take account of the needs identified in any professional reports. They then consider the resources available to the school to identify whether additionality is needed or whether the school might reasonably be expected to meet the needs of a pupil from its current level of resources.
All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 150: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of special needs assistants for a school (details supplied) in County Limerick. [3532/11]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.
In considering applications for teaching and SNA support for individual pupils, the SENOs take account of the needs identified in the professional reports and decide whether the circumstances come within the Department's criteria. They then consider the resources available to the school to identify whether additionality is needed or whether the school might reasonably be expected to meet the needs of the pupil from its current level of resources.
All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie. I have arranged for the details supplied to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 151: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that when a primary school pupil with a resource hours allocation transfers to a new school, the resource hours are lost and not reinstated until the case has been reviewed by the special education needs organiser in the new school district, which may entail some considerable delay; her views on whether this creates serious disadvantage for the pupil; if she will amend the procedure in order to provide that the resource hours simply transfer automatically with the child from one school to another, with a later review by the SENO in the new school district; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3618/11]
Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resources to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.
There is no automatic system of transfer of resources from one school to another. Where a child with special educational needs is in receipt of additional supports in a school and moves school, and no other child with special needs enrols in the school, then the resource â resource teaching hours and/or SNA support â is withdrawn from the first school and, if still warranted by the child's needs, will be sanctioned for the new school.
In considering applications for teaching and SNA supports for individual pupils, the SENOs take account of the pupils' needs and consider the resources available to the school to identify whether additionality is needed or whether the school might reasonably be expected to meet the needs of the pupils from its current level of resources.
All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
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