Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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42. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is intended to review and change the method by which SET hours are allocated to primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44794/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I want to thank the Deputy for the question.

The Special Education Teaching model is an allocation model to provide schools with additional teaching hours to support the teaching needs of their students. When the 2017 model was introduced it replaced a diagnosis led model with one based on need. This has not changed for 2024 and the allocation to schools is to support all of the children in school who require some level of additional teaching support.

The Department commenced a review of the model in late 2022, taking into account a wide range of views from stakeholders.

The allocation model for 2024/25 distributes the total available number of Special Education Teaching posts in line with each school’s profile of need based on a number of inputs. It seeks to distribute teaching resources in the fairest possible manner, taking into account quality, robust evidence in respect of individual schools.

The is providing an annual allocation of Special Education Teaching hours, using the best possible available data sources and is ensuring that the right resource is available at the right time to meet the needs of children with special educational needs. Schools have autonomy to deploy those resources to meet the needs of their students.

The Department acknowledges that every school is different, and that schools can experience unique circumstances that may be difficult to reflect in any standardised method. It is for this reason that my Department, working with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has streamlined the review process for Special Education Teaching hours and schools who have any concerns can engage with the NCSE on their allocation. On completion of these reviews, over 1,200 additional hours were allocated to 135 schools.

This review process shows that we are responding to those schools who can demonstrate they need more resources. The clear message here is that if a school needs additional resources to support children with additional learning needs in their school, they will be provided.

The Department, along with stakeholders, know that the model needs to continue to evolve. The department will examine an ongoing continuous improvement process with all stakeholders, including advocacy groups, that can give schools more input into identifying the need in their school in the most efficient way possible.