Written answers
Wednesday, 17 October 2018
Department of Education and Skills
Special Educational Needs Service Provision
Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the commitment made to the parents of six students with special needs who had completed their primary school education in a school (details supplied) in June 2018 and were promised an ASD unit for the start of the new term in September 2018 and are still waiting for even a temporary building seven weeks later; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42679/18]
Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The Department is providing an extension to St. Conleth’s, Vocational School in Newbridge which will include 552 m2 of accommodation for children with special needs. The project has been devolved for delivery to the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). Unfortunately, it was not ready in time for the new school year due to a small number of snagging and defects issues. The handover of the project is currently delayed due to the need to resolve some drainage issues. KWETB is doing everything possible to address these issues as a matter of priority and to ensure that every student with special needs who is waiting to occupy the new building in St. Conleth’s Vocational School can do so as soon as possible.
In the meantime, the National Council for Special Education(NCSE) is continuing to work with the school and the parents to ensure that the appropriate supports are in place, including application for home tuition. Where there is no placement available for a child with Special Educational Needs, my Department will consider applications under the Home Tuition Grant Scheme, where a student can receive up to 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until a placement becomes available.
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