Written answers

Tuesday, 31 May 2011

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

9:00 pm

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider documentation in relation to a person (details supplied); if he will approve home school tuition funding as requested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13611/11]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware 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 educational intervention for pre-school children with autism. The child to whom the Deputy refers is not eligible for home tuition as she is enrolled in a special class. However I have requested that my officials liaise with both the National Council for Special Education and the school in question to ensure that they are accessing the range of supports that are available to them to meet the individual needs of children.

The Deputy will be aware that my Department has also responded to the need to provide teachers with continuing professional development in special education. This has been a key priority in recent years. The establishment of the Special Education Support Service (SESS) to provide expert support, professional development and training opportunities in special education for school staff has been very significant. Furthermore the National Educational Psychological Support Service is available to provide advice and support to schools.

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of resource teaching hours in September 2011 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [13636/11]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teaching support to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. This now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to a temporary suspension of the allocation of additional resource teaching support hours.

The NCSE has issued a Circular to schools advising them that the final date for schools to submit any outstanding, completed, applications for resource teaching supports was 13th May 2011. On receipt of all outstanding applications the DES and NCSE will be in a position to consider resource allocation for the coming school year, in the context of the Department's Employment Control Framework obligations. Schools will be notified of their allocations as soon as possible. In the interim, children who are eligible for resource-learning support teaching can receive this tuition through the existing learning support provision in schools.

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