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Dáil Debates & Questions
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May 06 2010 Parliamentary Questions
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
Deputy Ruairí Quinn (L): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the details of all private colleges that have received funding from the special education support service and the teaching education section of the Department of Education and Skills under the national development plan; the amount of funds which have been made available to the colleges; the tendering procedure that took place, if any, for the colleges to avail of these funds; the eligibility criteria for a college to apply for these funds; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): The Teacher Education Section of my Department directly funds Froebel College, Coláiste Mhuire, Marino Institute of Education and Church of Ireland College of Education in connection with the provision of programmes of initial teacher education leading to qualification as a primary teacher. Froebel College, Church of Ireland College of Education and Coláiste Mhuire, MIE each provide a Bachelor of Education course. Froebel College and Coláiste Mhuire, MIE also provide an 18 month post graduate primary teacher education course. My Department approves the annual intake of students to the initial teacher education programmes in these Colleges of Education and payment is made in accordance with student numbers. Froebel College and Coláiste Mhuire, MIE are funded to provide these courses by my Department via capitation grants and tuition fee grants. The Church of Ireland College of Education is funded via tuition fee grants and on a budget grant basis. The grant paid represents the full cost of the approved staffing and the excess of expenditure over income in regard to maintenance and running costs. The table below details the expenditure by my Department to each college for these courses: Grants to Summer Gaeltacht Colleges Year Froebel Coláiste Mhuire, MIE Church of Ireland College of Education 2009 3,023,897 4,742,392 2,528,259 2008 3,335,251 4,932,172 2,910,971 2007 2,942,498 4,159,376 2,481,350 Satisfactory attendance at an Irish language course in the Gaeltacht is a compulsory element of both the three year B.Ed. degree course and the 18 month postgraduate diploma course in primary teaching. The Irish language courses are provided by Gaeltacht summer colleges. My Department approves the course content and the students in the Colleges of Education decide which Gaeltacht college to attend. The Colleges submit their rolls as verification of the students’ attendance and my Department pays grants directly to the management authorities of the Gaeltacht colleges. The total amounts paid to the Colleges in recent years are detailed below: Year € 2009 1,073,952 2008 1,062,982 2007 875,329 There are currently 5 colleges providing the approved course as follows: Coláiste Loch con Aortha, Radharc an Chláir, Coilleach, An Spidéal, Co. na Gaillimhe Coláiste Isliomáin, Inis Meáin, Oileáin Arann, Co. na Gaillimhe Coláiste Cholmcille(Gaoth Dobhair), Doire Beag, Leitir Ceanainn, Tir Chonaill, Co. Dhún na NGall Coláiste Chiaráin, An Cheathrú Rua, Co. na Gaillimhe Comharchumann Forbartha Chorca Dhuibhne Teo, Baile’n Fhirtéaraigh, Trá Lí, Co. Chiarraí My Department also funds a number of programmes in the area of Special Educational Needs. One of these, the Combined Post-Graduate Diploma Programme of Continuing Professional Development for Teachers involved in Learning Support and Special Education, is provided by Church of Ireland College of Education (CICE) as well as a number of other Colleges across the country. The funding provided to CICE in 2009 to support the provision of this course amounted to €48,000. In addition to the above, following receipt of a proposal in 2006 from St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra and the Institute of Child Education and Psychology Europe (ICEPE), my Department has also funded the development of an online Certificate/Diploma in Education (Special/Inclusive Education). The development fund amounted to €421,500 paid out over 2006 and 2007. The development of this programme represented a positive development in providing widespread access to professional development in the area of inclusion of students with special educational needs for mainstream teachers, irrespective of geographical location. None of the above were tendered for. My Department also issued a tender in Autumn 2008, the primary purpose of which was to assemble an inventory of on-line programmes to be utilised by the Special Education Support Service (SESS) in the delivery of CPD for teachers of students with Special Educational Needs. This tender was entirely open to all providers and a number of tenders were received. ICEPE was the only organisation successful in having a number of courses recognised for utilization by the SESS. Funding in this instance is provided in the form of partial subvention of participant fees. A total of €166,840 was paid out in 2009 towards the cost of participant fees. Deputy Jack Wall (L): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the basis upon which the assessment of a special education needs officer is made; if she will further indicate whether reports, educational reports, reports regarding discipline and school reports generally, are included in the assessment of the special education needs officer; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports. The NCSE operates within my Department’s criteria in allocating such support. I have arranged for the issues raised by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply. 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. Deputy Jack Wall (L): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if any proposals have been made or received in her Department by interested parties for an independent appeal mechanism for those parents who have seen their child’s special needs assistants withdrawn; the responses she has made to such; her plans regarding same; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): My Department has no record of having received specific proposals such as those set out by the Deputy. The Deputy is aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department’s criteria in allocating such support. Local SENOs are a valuable resource in assisting parents with regard to their child’s 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. The Deputy may also be aware that the NCSE has introduced an appeals process whereby schools and parents, where appropriate, may seek to appeal the decision of a SENO in relation to the allocation of resources. Information regarding the appeals process is available on the NCSE’s website at www.ncse.ie. Deputy Jack Wall (L): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the means by which concerned parents or guardians can, if necessary by means of a freedom of information request, view reports of the assessment of their children by special education needs officers; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) became subject to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Acts 1997 and 2003 with effect from 31st May 2006. Applications to the NCSE under the FOI Acts will be dealt with in accordance with the legislation. Further details on how to apply to the NCSE for information under the FOI Acts is available on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie. Parents/guardians may also contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) directly to discuss their child’s special educational needs using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie. Deputy Jack Wall (L): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the research undertaken to date on the educational performance of children whose special needs assistants have been withdrawn and any related research on the consequences for classes in general following the withdrawal of an SNA from those students who needed them; if she will publish any interim reports from such research if it is being undertaken; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): I wish to clarify that special needs assistants (SNAs) and teachers have separate yet complementary roles. SNAs provide care support to pupils with special educational needs who have been assessed as having such needs while teachers deliver education to the pupils. It is not accurate to state that posts were withdrawn where students continued to need them. The terms and criteria for the SNA scheme have not changed and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) continues to allocate SNA posts where the criteria are met in line with the Department’s policy. Following a review by the NCSE, a number of SNA posts were withdrawn where it was found that the posts were no longer required because the students had either left the school or had diminished care needs. The issue of commissioning research along the lines proposed by the Deputy does not arise. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan (FG): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs teachers and special needs assistants available at primary and secondary level schools in each county and or city throughout the country in 2010; the way this number has fluctuated on an annual basis over the past five years; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): The information requested by the Deputy on the number of special needs teachers and special needs assistants employed at primary and second level throughout the country is not readily available in the requested format. As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO) for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department’s criteria in allocating such support. The allocation for any school and any adjustments to that allocation depends on a number of factors such as the number of pupils with care/medical needs leaving, the number of new pupils, the changing needs of the pupils and any surplus identified. Furthermore, schools can make applications at any time with the result that the individual situation of any school can change and allocations are not static. The Deputy may wish to liaise directly with the NCSE in the context of his enquiry. I want to take this opportunity to emphasise that children with special educational needs will continue to receive an education appropriate to their needs. The NCSE will continue to support schools, parents, children and teachers and resources will continue to be allocated to schools to meet children’s needs in line with my Department’s policy. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan (FG): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of places available at primary and second level schools throughout the country, on a county basis, for children with autism, Asperger’s, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or similar learning difficulties as set out or required by local school authorities; the degree to which such requirements are likely to be met in the near future; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): Children with special educational needs, including the specific conditions mentioned by the Deputy, have a range of placement options available to them. 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. Many children with special needs, including those mentioned by the Deputy, attend mainstream schools alongside their peers. Depending on the extent of their special educational need, these children may receive support from the school’s Learning Support teacher and/or additional tuition hours provided by a Resource teacher and/or support from a Special Needs Assistant. Other children with such special educational needs attend a special class attached to a mainstream school while some children attend a special school. These children are supported through lower pupil teacher ratios and, where necessary, special needs assistants. 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 is not available within my Department. 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. SENOs work with schools to sanction additional special class provision as necessary. 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. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan (FG): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of resource or special needs teachers currently required at primary and or second level schools throughout the country, on a county basis, as set out by the various school authorities; the degree to which any outstanding requirements are likely to be met; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): The overall national total number of whole time equivalent teaching posts allocated for special needs provision is just under 8,000 at Primary level and 2,775 at Post Primary level in the 2009/10 school year. The level of detail sought by the Deputy on a county basis would take some time to collate within my Department. My Department’s Teacher Allocation Section is currently focused on the initial work for the allocation of staffing for the coming school year and I do not propose to divert them from this work at this key time in the allocation process. The general allocation model was introduced in primary schools in September 2005 to ensure that each school has learning support/resource teaching support available to meet the needs of children with high incidence special educational needs. The allocation system under the general allocation model was linked to the school’s enrolment in 2005 and it was decided not to review this aspect until the model had been in operation for three years. This review is now under way. The allocation to schools is however enhanced in the case of schools experiencing large increases in enrolment and which satisfy the conditions under my Department’s Developing School Criteria. Schools decide themselves how best to use this allocation based on the needs of the pupils and how to adjust their support in line with the changing needs of pupils as they mature. My Department provided a circular SP ED 02/05 to schools to assist them in deploying the General Allocation Model resources. The Deputy will be aware that my Department’s policy is to support the inclusive education of students with special educational needs across the schools system. In this context, a range of supports are provided to schools to enable them cater for pupils with special educational needs. The supports available include additional teaching support, special needs assistant support, school transport and grants for the purchase of teaching materials and specialized equipment. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports. 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.
Deputy Bernard J. Durkan (FG): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which pupil-teacher ratios in the classroom or class sizes have altered at primary schools throughout the country, on a county basis, in each of the past five years and to date in 2010; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): The information requested by the Deputy in relation to class size is attached. Pupil Teacher Ratio in respect of all schools is currently only available at national level and not disaggregated by county or any other variable. The data for the current school year (2009/2010) are currently being compiled by my Department and the final outcome will be available later in the year. PTR at National Level is set out as follows: 2004/2005, 17.1. 2005/2006, 17. 2006/2007, 16.4. 2007/2008, 16.0. 2008/2009, 15.9. 2004/05 Total Pupils No of Classes Average Class Size Carlow 5,572 220 25.3 Cavan 7,389 322 22.9 Clare 11,641 504 23.1 Cork City 13,653 596 22.9 Cork County 36,011 1,463 24.6 Donegal 17,126 750 22.8 Dublin City 40,514 1,770 22.9 Dun Lao. 15,613 605 25.8 /Rathdown Fingal 23,251 866 26.8 Galway City 5,623 242 23.2 Galway Co. 17,084 796 21.5 Kerry 14,340 614 23.4 Kildare 21,290 794 26.8 Kilkenny 9,193 374 24.6 Laois 7,303 303 24.1 Leitrim 2,982 139 21.5 Limerick City 6,807 300 22.7 Limerick Co. 12,678 539 23.5 Longford 3,544 165 21.5 Louth 12,575 499 25.2 Mayo 13,226 633 20.9 Meath 17,692 685 25.8 Monaghan 6,165 266 23.2 Offaly 8,024 336 23.9 Roscommon 6,063 297 20.4 Sligo 6,377 287 22.2 South Dublin 26,208 1,063 24.7 Tipperary N.R. 7,127 316 22.6 Tipperary S.R. 9,261 397 23.3 Waterford City 5,168 209 24.7 Waterford Co. 6,550 273 24.0 Westmeath 9,034 378 23.9 Wexford 14871 596 25.0 Wicklow 13,365 536 24.9 433,320 18,133
2005/06 Total Pupils No. of Classes Average Class Size Carlow 5,693 227 25.1 Cavan 7,684 329 23.4 Clare 11,793 507 23.3 Cork City 13,547 594 22.8 Cork County 36,956 1,478 25.0 Donegal 17,246 754 22.9 Dublin City 40,700 1,775 22.9 Dun Lao 15,612 607 25.7 /Rathdown Fingal 24,491 906 27.0 Galway City 5,735 245 23.4 Galway Co. 17,415 810 21.5 Kerry 14,455 625 23.1 Kildare 22,070 828 26.7 Kilkenny 9,274 378 24.5 Laois 7,565 307 24.6 Leitrim 2,971 140 21.2 Limerick City 6,777 292 23.2 Limerick Co. 12,809 543 23.6 Longford 3,610 166 21.7 Louth 13,337 521 25.6 Mayo 13,190 629 21.0 Meath 18,615 715 26.0 Monaghan 6,242 267 23.4 Offaly 8,263 342 24.2 Roscommon 6,221 298 20.9 Sligo 6,437 286 22.5 South Dublin 26,578 1,080 24.6 Tipperary N.R.7,339 317 23.2 Tipperary S.R.9,224 397 23.2 Waterford City 5,375 210 25.6 Waterford Co. 6,723 274 24.5 Westmeath 9,238 378 24.4 Wexford 15,195 607 25.0 Wicklow 13,580 535 25.4 441,960 18,367 2006/07 Total Pupils No. of Classes Average Class Size Carlow 5,993 235 25.5 Cavan 8,040 335 24.0 Clare 12,113 518 23.4 Cork City 13,655 598 22.8 Cork County 38,108 1,536 24.8 Donegal 17,684 767 23.1 Dublin City 40,891 1,798 22.7 Dun Lao 15,678 613 25.6 /Rathdown Fingal 25,925 970 26.7 Galway City 5,981 261 22.9 Galway Co. 18,052 828 21.8 Kerry 14,749 633 23.3 Kildare 23,221 875 26.5 Kilkenny 9,576 383 25.0 Laois 7,985 321 24.9 Leitrim 3,147 144 21.9 Limerick City 6,888 299 23.0 Limerick Co. 13,095 545 24.0 Longford 3,859 177 21.8 Louth 13,866 546 25.4 Mayo 13,377 628 21.3 Meath 19,707 764 25.8 Monaghan 6,365 274 23.2 Offaly 8,587 351 24.5 Roscommon 6,428 309 20.8 Sligo 6,572 290 22.7 South Dublin 27,263 1,110 24.6 Tipperary N.R.7,566 323 23.4 Tipperary S.R.9,435 400 23.6 Waterford City 5,606 221 25.4 Waterford Co. 6,886 278 24.8 Westmeath 9,553 395 24.2 Wexford 15,618 625 25.0 Wicklow 13,986 559 25.0 455,455 18,909 2007/08 Carlow 6,345 249 25.5 Cavan 8,448 357 23.7 Clare 12,499 534 23.4 Cork City 13,715 607 22.6 Cork Co. 39,583 1,602 24.7 Donegal 18,065 790 22.9 Dublin City 41,186 1,825 22.6 Dun Lao 15,608 620 25.2 /Rathdown Fingal 27,313 1,037 26.3 Galway City 6,218 273 22.8 Galway Co. 18,718 854 21.9 Kerry 15,086 649 23.2 Kildare 24,488 931 26.3 Kilkenny 9,796 397 24.7 Laois 8,556 351 24.4 Leitrim 3,280 152 21.6 Limerick City 6,928 304 22.8 Limerick Co. 13,496 563 24.0 Longford 4,231 187 22.6 Louth 14,477 580 25.0 Mayo 13,738 638 21.5 Meath 20,754 810 25.6 Monaghan 6,561 280 23.4 Offaly 8,883 368 24.1 Roscommon 6,675 317 21.1 Sligo 6,748 296 22.8 South Dublin 28,049 1,165 24.1 Tipperary N.R.7,804 337 23.2 Tipperary S.R.9,588 412 23.3 Waterford City 5,748 232 24.8 Waterford Co. 7,199 294 24.5 Westmeath 9,842 412 23.9 Wexford 16,264 664 24.5 Wicklow 14,381 578 24.9 470,270 19,665 2008/09 Total Pupils No. of Classes Average Class Size Carlow 6,594 260 25.4 Cavan 8,839 371 23.8 Clare 12,966 560 23.2 Cork City 13,597 606 22.4 Cork Co. 40,969 1,674 24.5 Donegal 18,436 804 22.9 Dublin City 40,966 1,837 22.3 Dun Lao 15,869 624 25.4 /Rathdown Fingal 28,813 1,116 25.8 Galway City 6,385 285 22.4 Galway Co. 19,356 877 22.1 Kerry 15,239 662 23.0 Kildare 25,511 978 26.1 Kilkenny 10,042 404 24.9 Laois 9,075 371 24.5 Leitrim 3,389 154 22.0 Limerick City 6,887 310 22.2 Limerick Co. 13,725 573 24.0 Longford 4,486 194 23.1 Louth 14,948 605 24.7 Mayo 13,957 663 21.1 Meath 21,721 847 25.6 Monaghan 6,586 284 23.2 Offaly 9,242 383 24.1 Roscommon 6,900 326 21.2 Sligo 6,841 305 22.4 South Dublin 28,926 1,208 23.9 Tipperary N.R.7,876 349 22.6 Tipperary S.R. 9,636 414 23.3 Waterford City 5,868 237 24.8 Waterford Co. 7,427 298 24.9 Westmeath 10,036 421 23.8 Wexford 16,740 692 24.2 Wicklow 14,745 599 24.6 482,593 20,291
Deputy Bernard J. Durkan (FG): asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the provision she expects to make in the current year to meet the requirements as set out by the various school authorities in respect of extra special needs assistants, resource or special needs teachers; Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Mary Coughlan): There has been unprecedented investment in providing supports for pupils with special needs in recent years and Special Education continues to be a key Government priority. Over €1 billion is being spent in supporting special educational provision this year. The Deputy is aware that schools apply to the National Council for Special Education for supports for pupils with special educational needs such as resource teaching and special needs assistants. There are now about 20,000 adults in our schools working solely with pupils with special needs. This includes over 10,000 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs); 8,600 resource and learning support teachers; over 1,100 special school teachers and hundreds of other teachers in special classes. There has been no change to the policies which underpin the allocation of either SNA or resource teaching support to schools. My Department continues to fund special school transport arrangements for pupils with special educational needs. Funding is also provided to schools to purchase assistive technology and/or specialist equipment. In addition, funding can be provided for school buildings to be adapted where necessary. In 2005, all primary schools were allocated additional permanent teaching resources to assist schools in making provision for children with higher incidence special educational needs. Most pupils with high incidence special educational needs are included in ordinary classes with their peers and are supported by their class teacher. The curriculum is flexible so that teachers can cater for the needs of children of different abilities. At post primary level, or where a primary pupil has a low incidence special educational need, schools may apply to the National Council for Special Education for an individual allocation of teaching support. My Department has also responded to the need to provide teachers with continuing professional development in special education. This has been a key priority in recent years. The establishment of the Special Education Support Service (SESS) to provide expert support, professional development and training opportunities in special education for school staff has been very significant. Last year alone 23,602 training places were provided through the SESS. I wish to emphasise that special education remains a key priority for my Department. I can assure the House that resources will continue to be allocated to schools to meet pupils’ needs in line with my Department’s policy.
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Inclusion
Ireland, Unit C2, The Steelworks, Foley Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
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