Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstance behind the decision to remove the entitlement to resource teaching hours in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19417/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that, in primary schools, teaching supports for pupils with special educational needs are provided in two ways. Under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, schools are resourced to cater for pupils whose educational psychological assessment places them in the high incidence, or less complex, disability category, including children with mild general learning difficulties. In this context, children with a mild intellectual disability qualify for resources under GAM. Separately, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates additional resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05.

Once allocations have been made, it is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of resource teaching support, including supports allocated under the GAM, to best support the needs of qualifying pupils, in accordance with my Department's guidance. Should a parent be dissatisfied with the manner in which the resources or facilities which have been provided to support their child's education are being applied in school, or with regard to their child's educational progress in school, they should raise this matter directly with their school Principal or the Board of Management of the school.

All schools have been advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013/14 school year by 15th March 2013 and schools will be notified by SENOs of their resource teaching and SNA allocation in advance of the 2013/14 school year, based on the number of valid applications received.

The position in relation to pupils with Down syndrome attending mainstream schools is that they may receive additional teaching support in primary schools, either under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, if the pupil's educational psychological assessment places the pupil in the mild general learning disability/high incidence disability category, or through an allocation of individual additional resource teaching hours which are allocated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), if the child is assessed as being within the low incidence category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05.

I have asked the National Council for Special Education to provide me with policy advice on the issue of whether Down syndrome should be reclassified as a low incidence disability in all instances, regardless of assessed cognitive ability. This advice will be included in the NCSE's comprehensive policy advice on how the education system can best support children with special educational needs which is currently in preparation and which is expected in the coming months. 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.