Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

536. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 109 of 25 May 2022, if she will provide an update on a student struggling (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54395/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Visiting teachers for children who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired provide additional supports for such children, their families, and schools. Details of the services which are provided to schools and families by the visiting teacher service are available at ncse.ie/visiting-teachers.

Each visiting teacher (VT) is responsible for a particular region and is allocated a caseload of students. The VT supports children/young people, parents, guardians, teachers and other professionals involved with the child. The frequency and nature of support takes into account a range of factors based on the individual’s needs.

The student referenced is availing of the visiting teacher service. In February 2022, the Visiting Teacher provided assistance in relation to this student’s assistive technology. More recently, a new visiting teacher has taken over the caseload for this area, and a visit to the school is scheduled for the coming weeks. The NCSE visiting teacher service will continue to support this student throughout the school year.

The SENO service is also available to the parents and school in order to offer advice and assistance in respect of this student.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

537. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the process that a secondary school can follow to employ a qualified individual to "only" coordinate special education needs in the school; the additional allowances that this school obtain to employ this qualified person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54403/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Education Act 1998 the school Board of Management (BOM) is the body charged with the direct governance of a school, and it is the BOM which employs the staff at the school. The allocation of duties to staff is also a matter for the BOM as the employer.

Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.