Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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247. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 97 of 2 April 2014, in view of his response that he was satisfied the Special Education Support Service, SESS, is making appropriate provision to support teachers and schools in this area, if he will provide details of the person who specifically gave him the advice that satisfied him about this situation whereby it is the teacher who decides whether to undergo training in ABA or not; if his attention has been drawn to the fact the ABA courses run by the SESS are of only five day's duration; if he will confirm his Department has issued no circular on the use of ABA within autism spectrum disorder, ASD, units and that there is no external supervision of the use of ABA within ASD units by an appropriately qualified board certified behaviour analyst, BCBA; and if his attention has been drawn to his officials not having consulted with the division of behaviour analysis about the use and supervision of ABA within ASD units. [17765/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory regulatory authority for the professional registration of teachers. The Council sets standards of entry to the profession and accredits initial teacher education programmes. I am satisfied that primary teachers are qualified to teach in a wide range of school environments including autism units.

In the Education (Amendment) Act 2012, the Teaching Council Act 2001 was amended to enable the Council to regulate for conditions for renewal of teacher registration including attendance at programmes of continuing education and training. When Section 39 is commenced, the Council will have authority to review and accredit programmes providing continuing training and professional development for teachers. As the Deputy is aware, my Department currently provides for a comprehensive system of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the area of special educational needs.

The Special Education Support Service (SESS) provides evidence based support for teachers of pupils across a wide range of special educational needs including ASD having regard to best practice. A range of specialist programmes are available nationally.

I am aware of the nature and duration of these courses. Funding is also made available through the SESS support scheme enabling teachers to identify their own CPD needs and attend appropriate and relevant courses not provided directly by SESS. This funding is not limited to any specific course of any duration.

As outlined in my previous response I am satisfied that the SESS are making appropriate provision to support teachers and schools in this area. I should also point out that SESS is a support service for teachers and is not involved in the supervision of the implementation of ABA. There is no circular on the use of ABA in autism classes. I previously advised the Deputy that the SESS has not consulted with the Division of Behaviour Analysis in this regard.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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248. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 98 of 2 April 2014, in view of his response his Department's policy on the education of children with autism resides within the overall policies on the education of children including those with special educational needs and the relevant circulars are available on www.education.gov.ie, and in view of the fact there are 573 active Department circulars on www.education.ie but there appears to be no active specific circular regarding the education of children with autism and specifically the operation of autism spectrum disorder, ASD, units, if he will confirm his Department was responsible for the roll-out of more than 500 ASD units throughout the country without having issued one single circular to schools on the way to open and operate these ASD units. [17766/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware autism classes are established by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

A range of supports are available to schools in which the classes operate including the NCSE, NEPS, the inspectorate, the circulars referred to by the Deputy and continuing professional development for teachers through the Special Education Support Service. In the case of each of the ASD classes currently operating throughout the country, each of these were opened with the direct support of the NCSE/SENO and/or the Inspectorate and/or the relevant NEPS Psychologist. Through the provision of this direct support, each school received the advice and guidance necessary to assist them in the development of their units.

As the Deputy is aware the NCSE is currently preparing to provide policy advice on the educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders.

It is expected that the NCSE will make recommendations on future arrangements that should be in place, where necessary, to improve the nature, extent, planning and delivery of education to children with autism taking into account the need for flexibility given constrained resources.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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249. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 99 of 02 April 2014, in particular the reference to Model A in his reply noting from 2006-2007 it was recognised the model concept was complex and multipurpose and it was determined that parents of children with autism should have three distinct choices available to them, if he will confirm the person who determined this; when this determination was made; the way this determination was communicated to schools; and if he will provide a copy of the written communication sent to schools following this determination. [17767/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As previously outlined, from 2006/2007 it was recognised that the model concept was complex and multi-purpose. It was determined that parents of children with autism should have three distinct choices available to them; their child could either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional supports as required, they could attend a special class in a mainstream school or they could attend a special school.

While the responsibility for policy resides with the Minister of the Department, the responsibility for implementation of policies in the area of special educational needs resides within the Department and the NCSE. The discontinuation of the model concept in favour of the mainstream, special class and special school provision did not materially alter the provision being made for children with Autism.

It is not possible to establish precisely when the changes were commenced and it is likely that the changes were introduced by agreement between the Special Education Section of my Department and other relevant sections and bodies.

As the model concept was mainly used internally in my Department, by NEPS and officials in the Special Education Section, it was not necessary to communicate formally to schools. Individual schools continued to be supported by NEPS, NCSE and the Inspectorate as appropriate and received any necessary guidance and information through these means.

In the course of the period of transfer from the Department to the NCSE, which fully concluded in or around 2008, the language around Model A had fallen into disuse and was replaced by the type of correspondence between schools and the NCSE which is seen largely today.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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250. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 100 of 2 April 2014, if he is concerned about the potential impact on some children of the unacceptable further wait until spring 2015 before his policy document on educating children with autism will be available in view of the fact it was an expert selected by his officials who provided details to his Department of the research done by Howard et al in a specifically commissioned report back in 2005 where that piece of specific research concluded the ABA group had significantly higher mean standard scores in almost all skill domains measured and assessed by independent examiners than the other two groups assessed. [17768/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware I requested the NCSE to provide policy advice on the educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders. I specifically asked that they would consult widely with parents, professionals, other stakeholders and interested parties in the preparation of this policy advice.

The NCSE have advised my Department that the Policy Advice will be delivered in the spring of 2015 and will draw upon findings gathered from an extensive consultation process which has already commenced. The advice will also draw upon the research commissioned by the NCSE, which will not be finalised until later this year, as well as any other research which may be available and which the NCSE considers merits consideration, including the research again referred to by the Deputy which I have forward to NCSE in this context.

In the interim children with autism will continue to be supported in line with current policy.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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251. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 101 of 2 April 2014, in view of the fact he was already in receipt of the various reports from the National Council for Special Education as outlined in his reply, the reason it is necessary for him to further request the NCSE to prepare policy advice on the educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders; and the reason the previous NCSE reports referred to by him did not allow his Department to prepare and publish the policy document on educating children with autism promptly as recommended by the Ombudsman for Children back in October 2012. [17769/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As previously advised, policy advice has been provided by the NCSE on a range of issues including the Future Role of Special Schools and Classes in Ireland, the Education of Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and the Education of Students with Challenging Behaviour Arising from an Emotional /Behavioural Disorders. However the advice was not autism specific and the current policy advice being prepared by NCSE will specifically relate to the educational provision for children with autism.

The aforementioned reports did not prohibit my Department from preparing or publishing any documents on the education of children with autism.

As I previously advised the Deputy my Department commenced collating a statement of existing policy on the education of children with autism last year. Subsequently I requested the NCSE to prepare Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. I am confident that the policy advice, when it has been delivered will provide the level of clarity which was the purpose of the Ombudsman's 2012 encouragement.