Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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123. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the guidelines that exist in relation to the time it takes for the preparation and implementation of individual education plans at the beginning of the academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31328/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of individual plans for children with special needs is recognised as an important feature of good educational practice.

Schools are encouraged to use IEPs through policy guidance, support, training and inspection. The advice of my Department's Inspectorate is that the majority of schools are now using some form of individual education planning for children with special needs.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has published guidelines on the IEP process and a copy issued to all primary and post primary schools at the commencement of the 2006/2007 school year. These guidelines provide advice and assistance to schools, teachers and parents on devising and implementing individual education plans and are available on the NCSE's website www.ncse.ie.

In addition, schools have been provided with guidance on the IEP process in a number of National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS) publications regarding the continuum model including 'A Continuum of Support for Primary Schools - Guidelines for Teachers', which has been circulated to all schools.

The Department's Learning Support Guidelines recommend that an Individual profile and Learning Programme should be devised for all children who are receiving supplementary teaching from the learning-support teacher. Training has been provided to primary and post primary schools by the Special Education Support Services (SESS) in relation to individual education plans.

My Department's Inspectorate produced 'Inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs: Post-Primary Guidelines' in 2007 which provides advice and guidance to schools on the organisation and co-ordination of resources to maximise the support to each individual student, including guidance on the IEP process.

All primary and post primary schools also have access to support and guidance from the National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS) who can provide additional guidance for schools on the preparation of IEP plans.