Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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248. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if accommodations can be made in order to arrange a donation to the Special Education Support Service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39506/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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From 21st March, 2017 the Special Education Support Service (SESS), National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) and the Visiting Teacher Service for Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Children who are Blind/Visually Impaired (VTHVI) transferred from my Department to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and joined with the services already being provided by NCSE’s SENOs and administrative staff to form a new NCSE Support Service. This new service aims to develop schools’ capacity to include students with special educational needs and to promote a continuum of educational provision which is inclusive and responsive.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible for organising and planning education provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including:

- providing Continual Professional Development (CPD) and support for teachers in the area of special educational needs (SEN) to enhance the quality of learning and teaching in relation to SEN provision (formerly provided through the SESS - see below)

- providing support and expertise to partner schools on issues related to behaviour (formerly provided through the NBSS)

- supporting the introduction of the new model of resource teaching allocation to schools and to develop capacity to meet the needs of students with SEN

As the matter referred to my the Deputy relates to the NCSE’s Regional Support Service, the matter has been referred to the NCSE for direct reply.