Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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215. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when he will establish a national inclusion support service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14578/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that on 10 February 2015, the establishment of a new Inclusion Support Service within the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was announced to assist schools in supporting children with special education needs.

The service will include the Special Education Support Service (SESS), the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) and the Visiting Teacher Service for children who are deaf/hard of hearing and for children who are blind/visually impaired (VTHVI service).

This change will mean that schools will receive a better and more integrated service from this new Inclusion Support Service.

I can advise that work is ongoing to transfer these services to the NCSE, who are currently recruiting, through the Public Appointments Service, a new Head of Service and Deputy Head of Service for the Visiting Teacher Service for young children and students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and to those who are Blind/Visually Impaired, their families and schools.

It is intended that the Inclusion Support Service will be operational from the beginning of the coming school year. It is also intended, however, that the existing services will continue as normal as the new arrangements are put in place, with as little disruption as possible to service users, as progress is made to transfer these services to the NCSE.