Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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229. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will assist in having a teaching post reinstated as per correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19815/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs attending Special schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's policy in allocating this support.

Staffing arrangements for special schools are in line with policy advice provided by the NCSE which did not recommend alteration to staffing ratios established under SERC Report in 1993.

Circular 0042/2011 provides information to schools regarding the staffing arrangements which apply in Special schools.

The Circular sets out that special schools are staffed based on their pupil profiles and the disability category of the pupils enrolled, as opposed to being based principally on school designation. Staffing levels therefore reflect the complexity of needs that exist within schools rather than being determined solely by a school's designation, in recognition that many Special schools enrol students from disability categories other than from those provided for by their school designations.

In determining the staffing allocation for schools, including the above school, the NCSE takes into account up-to-date enrolment and pupil profile information. School staffing schedules are reviewed and updated each year by the NCSE. Accordingly, the staffing allocation for the school referred to in the Deputy's question has been calculated to reflect the profile of pupils currently enrolled in the school, in accordance with each pupil's disability categorisation.

The NCSE have confirmed that following considering of additional information in relation to the school's staffing allocation for 2016/17, an additional teaching post has been sanctioned for the school to which the Deputy refers. The NCSE has advised the school of the outcome accordingly.