May 05 2010

Parliamentary Questions

• Speech and Language Therapist at school in Waterford
• Residential and respite facilities for children with autism
• Education Sectoral Plan under National Disability Strategy
• Department of Education’s School Transport Scheme
• Review of General Allocation Model in Education
• Staffing levels at special school in Limerick
• No. of students with a disability in Cork seeking second level education
• Reduction of SNAs in light of Lisbon Charter of Fundamental Rights

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• Speech and Language Therapist at school in Waterford

Deputy Brian Hayes (FG): asked the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) in County Waterford has been without a speech and language therapist, in view of the fact that the regular member of staff is on leave and has been since May 2009; when this service will resume in view of the fact that the school caters for mild general learning disabilities and is dependent upon the services of a speech and language therapist;

Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Law Reform (Deputy John Moloney): I wish to advise the Deputy that due to industrial action affecting the Health Service Executive it is not possible for the Executive to supply the information requested. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course. 

• Residential and respite facilities for children with autism

Deputy Mary Upton (L): asked the Minister for Health and Children the services and facilities that are available to support autistic children; if respite care is available on a regular basis in respect of autistic children; the residential facilities that are available for autistic children here; the locations at which these facilities are located;

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy John Moloney): I wish to advise the Deputy that due to industrial action affecting the Health Service Executive it is not possible for the Executive to supply the information requested. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course. 

• Education Sectoral Plan under National Disability Strategy

Deputy Leo Varadkar (FG): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made to date in developing a sectoral plan for her Department under the terms of the National Disability Strategy;

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): As part of the National Disability Strategy the Sectoral Plan of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment under the Disability Act, 2005 was published in 2006. It contained, in particular, a number of initiatives aimed at increasing the participation of people with disabilities in the workplace. In line with the requirement under the Disability Act, 2005 to produce a progress report to the Oireachtas, and a commitment under Towards 2016, a review of the operation of the Sectoral Plan was completed in November, 2009 following consultations with the Department’s Consultative Forum on disabilities and other stakeholders. The progress report was laid before the Oireachtas in February, 2010. A copy of the Progress Report may be downloaded from this Department’s website (www.entemp.ie). The review indicates that substantial progress has been made on advancing key goals of the Sectoral Plan in regard to employment, training, activation, research, and access to buildings and services. Under the Sectoral Plan the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has led on the advancement of an outline for a Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities in discussions with other Government Departments and stakeholder representatives on the Department’s Consultative Forum. The aim of this strategy is to address the diversity of circumstances, needs and abilities of people with disabilities, and to enhance the operation and effectiveness of the range of FÁS supports and services for facilitating increased participation of the cohort in the labour market. The strategy is being further advanced in discussions in a Cross Sectoral Group comprising relevant Government Departments and state agencies. In regard to placements in employment the review indicates that 5,210 people with a disability were placed in employment over the period 2006-2008 — the Sectoral Plan contains an employment target of 7,000 over the period 2006-2010. Information subsequently available for 2009 indicate that a further 1,497 people with a disability were placed in employment, representing total placements of 6,707 over the period 2006 –2009. 

• Department of Education’s School Transport Scheme

Deputy Ruairí Quinn (L): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will instruct her officials to allow a child (details supplied) in County Carlow with special educational needs to receive a transport grant under the school transport scheme; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this child’s parents have travelled more than 32,000 km to bring their son to school since April 2009;

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills (Deputy Seán Haughey): Under the terms of my Department’s School Transport Scheme, a pupil with special needs will be eligible for school transport if s/he is attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class, special school or unit that is, or can be resourced to meet the child’s special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills criteria. The purpose of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Needs is to provide a reasonable level of transport service for children with a diagnosed disability and/or special educational need, who, because of the nature of their disability, may not be in a position to avail of a school bus service which would be time-tabled to pick up other children along the route of service. The position is that at the time of enrolment in the unit in question, there was a nearer recognised unit that could have accommodated the pupil referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy. On this basis, the pupil in question is not eligible for a transport service or transport grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements.   

• Review of General Allocation Model in Education

Deputy Brian Hayes (FG): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if the review of the general allocation model is complete; and when same will be published.

Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): I wish to advise the Deputy that the review of the General Allocation Model is at an advanced stage and is currently being considered within my Department. The issue of publication is part of the consideration process. 

• Staffing levels at special school in Limerick

Deputy Michael Noonan (FG): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm that a school (details supplied) in County Limerick is a school which caters for primary and secondary school students with a multiple disability rather than students with a single disability; if she will further confirm that the appropriate staffing level for this school with its current complement of students is seven teachers and 16 special needs assistants and that this staffing level will apply for the next school year; if she will further confirm that if additional pupils are admitted to the school in September 2010 additional teachers and SNA’s will be sanctioned;

Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): My Department is in receipt of correspondence from the school referred to by the Deputy regarding its current designation and my officials will be in further contact with the school in this regard. 

• No. of students with a disability in Cork seeking second level education

Deputy Kathleen Lynch (L): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of students in the County Cork with special needs who are currently seeking access to second level education; the facilities in place to cope with this demand; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): The enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment in schools and therefore the information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of students in County Cork with special needs currently seeking access to second level education is not available. The level and extent of resources provided to support pupils with special educational needs depend on the precise nature of the special educational need of the particular pupil. Supports can include the allocation of additional resource teaching support, special needs assistants, special school transport arrangements and grants for specialist equipment and/or assistive technology.School buildings may be adapted where necessary. The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs), co-ordinates special needs education provision at local level. SENOs act as single points of contact for parents of students with special educational needs. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child’s special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie 

• Reduction of SNAs in light of Lisbon Charter of Fundamental Rights

Deputy Joe McHugh (FG): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills her plans to reduce the number of special needs assistants in the context of Article 24 and Article 26 of the Lisbon treaty’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, which declares that children shall have the right to such protection and care as is necessary for their well being; in allocations relating to children, whether taken by public authorities or private institutions, the child’s best interest must be primary consideration;

Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): The provision of appropriate educational intervention and supports for children with special educational needs continues to be a key Government priority. Over €1 billion is being spent in supporting special educational provision this year. My Department is very supportive of the special needs assistants (SNA) scheme. It has been a key factor in both ensuring the successful integration of children with special educational needs into mainstream education and providing support to pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes. I wish to clarify for the Deputy that the current review of SNAs is intended to ensure that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met and that there is a consistent application of policy in relation to the allocation of special needs supports across the country. I am on record in the House refuting claims that my Department had given a target to the NCSE for reducing the number of SNAs. This is not the case. The terms and criteria for the SNA scheme have not changed and the NCSE continues to allocate additional posts where the criteria are met. At the same time, it has to be recognised that children with special educational needs progress and develop over time. Children also leave school for a number of reasons. It is good practice for supports to be varied and adjusted in line with such progress and development and for posts to be withdrawn where pupils have left the school. Accordingly, the current review is not incompatible with either of the Articles referenced by the Deputy.

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