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Dáil Debates & Questions
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14 September 2011 Dáil Debates Parliamentary Questions
DÁIL DEBATES Deputy Finian McGrath: …I wish to raise the issue of education and its importance to the country’s future, in particular as a major tool to get us out of this economic mess. I just left the Leinster House gates where hundreds of parents, teachers and special needs assistants, SNAs, are protesting the education service…In this day and age, is it acceptable for children with a disability to be locked out of school on their first day back because there are no places, resource teachers or SNAs? Some of them have been offered a lousy one hour per week service. Does the Taoiseach accept this as part of modern Ireland? Would members of the Government accept the same reduction in services for any of their children? The parents’ tears on the first day of school were a scandal and a disgrace. It is shameful that families are suffering and their children are being locked out of schools. What will the Taoiseach do about these serious national issues? Will he stand up for education and protect our schools and pupils? The Taoiseach: The Deputy asked a number of questions. The answer in respect of a Government decision about increasing the age of attendance is that no decision has been taken. The answer to the Deputy’s question about a Government decision in respect of changing the pupil-teacher ratio is that no decision has been made. I have outlined the situation in so far as SNAs are concerned…The Minister for Education and Skills held back more than 400 of these appointments so that they could be allocated in cases where they are absolutely necessary. I had occasion to make contact with the Department of Education and Skills recently about two individual cases. As the Deputy is aware, the professional assessor decides on the basis of professional qualifications the needs for any individual child, and the special needs officer of the Department discusses the use and the allocation of the SNAs to the school. I made the point before the summer that if particular cases arise, they should be brought to the attention of the professional qualified assessors of need for the children in question. The Deputy and I meet those affected. The matter causes enormous stress for people in certain households. There has not been a cut in resource teachers. As the Deputy knows, resource hours for pupils with special educational needs who require particular supports are allocated by the National Council for Special Education. The number of resource teachers to be allocated in 2011 has increased over that for last year. There are more resource teachers than there were before. There were 9,600 whole-time equivalent posts for 2010. For the new school year, this will rise to 9,950, representing an increase of 350 resource teacher posts this year. On the Deputy’s question on mathematics, all second level schools were sent a questionnaire on 5 September relating to the qualifications of mathematics teachers. The results of the survey showed that of a total of 2,045 teachers teaching mathematics in 258 schools, 1,400 are fully qualified to do so, 596 have undergone some studies in mathematics and 49 have no third level qualifications or have conducted no studies in mathematics. I find it somewhat unusual that the employers — in this case, the boards of management and principal teachers — would not have queried the actual qualifications for teaching mathematics in the first instance. One is aware that the Minister for Education and Skills has announced a programme of up-skilling mathematics teachers, to start in January 2012. Having met various business representatives, I note some are very happy with the standard of students coming through while others are not. I was speaking to a businessperson some nights ago who was looking for 35 IT staff but who could not get anybody. There is a worldwide shortage of designers, planners and programmers. The Minister for Education and Skills is certainly considering this in the most serious fashion because it is fundamental to the well-being of our economy and the quality of our graduates over the coming years. Deputy Finian McGrath (I): I thank the Taoiseach for his response. If he has made a commitment on the school entry age, I welcome it. It is all very well for the Taoiseach to say what he said but the reality is that 227 SNAs have gone out of the system. Why are hundreds of people at the gates today protesting about cuts to services for children with special needs?I would like to ask the Taoiseach a couple of questions on his views on education. I ask him to change the mindset of the Government on education. Does he regard education as a cost or an investment? He should ascertain whether the governments of countries such as Finland have targeted children with special needs or the weak or poor children during their similar economic problems. We spend €9 billion on educational services, yet we cannot find a couple of euro to protect the weakest and front line services. Does the Taoiseach agree it is economic madness to slash the education budget while at the same time handing over €100 million to private schools? Where does the Government stand on the Tánaiste’s strong concern over the two-tier education system, on which he commented before the general election? One private school in Dublin charges a fee of €5,160, gets €2.1 million from the taxpayer and employs an extra 12 teachers. If the Taoiseach slashed 50% of the funding for such wealthy schools, he could pay for all the SNAs and resource teachers required for children with special needs. I ask the Taoiseach to make a really tough decision to support our educational services, particularly for those with priority needs. The Taoiseach: I do not regard education as a charge or cost but as an opportunity and as having potential. It is of great importance to the country. The National Council for Special Education has advised all the mainstream schools of their SNA allocations. Four hundred and seventy-five have not yet received an allocation for particular cases where they are clearly needed. Most of these allocations will apply outside the mainstream schools, in respect of which notification has already been issued. As I stated before, the Department decided approximately 475 of the 10,575 posts should be retained in order to allocate them over the coming school year in cases of emergency, where appeals are justified, or where there are acquired injuries or new school entrants, for example. That only makes common sense. The Minister for Education and Skills is very much aware of this. The Deputy referred to Finland and what was done there. Clearly, over 20 years Finnish governments invested heavily in the training of teachers to teach. There is a need for leadership courses for principal teachers in schools so they can motivate their teaching staff who operate under great pressure. I am quite sure the Minister is clearly aware of this. I have no doubt the scheme being put forward by the Minister to improve teaching techniques and elements of mathematics teaching will bear huge dividends. As Deputy Finian McGrath is aware, Project Maths, through promoting an understanding of the relevance of numbers and their practical applications, will have a bearing on the quality and range of students emerging in the years ahead. As the Deputy is aware, issues such as vectors and complex numbers should all be understood in a general way by students. I hope this will happen through the Project Maths scheme. PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS Deputy Olivia Mitchell (FG): asked the Minister for Finance if he will clarify the new arrangements in place to qualify for the vehicle registration tax exemption for disabled passengers in view of the fact there has been some confusion resulting in genuine cases being unable to avail of this exemption; Minister for Finance (Deputy Michael Noonan): I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that there have been no changes in the qualifying criteria for the Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) exemption for disabled passengers. The scheme is governed by the Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers [Tax Concessions] Regulations 1994 (S.I. No. 353 of 1994). The Scheme is open to persons who meet the specified medical criteria and have obtained a Primary Medical Certificate to that effect. A disabled person can apply for relief either as a driver or a passenger. The vehicle must be suitably adapted for the transportation of the disabled person and must be used for that purpose. In the case of passengers, VRT relief is restricted to a vehicle which has an engine size up to 4,000 cc and the net cost of the adaptations must be not less than 10% of the tax exclusive cost of the vehicle. The vehicle must be purchased outright by the applicant (this includes vehicles purchased on hire-purchase, but excludes vehicles which have been purchased by way of a leasing arrangement). The vehicle must not be destined/used for any commercial purpose following the granting of relief, e.g. taxi/hackney, courier service. A family member of a person with a disability who purchases a vehicle for the transport of that person as a passenger qualifies, provided the person resides with and is responsible for the transport of the disabled passenger. In exceptional circumstances, the condition concerning residency may be waived. In this regard, evidence is sought that the qualifying vehicle is used on a regular basis for the transport of the disabled person. Each case is evaluated on an individual basis and, where the Revenue Commissioners are satisfied that a qualifying disabled person is transported on a regular basis, the relief is granted. Deputy Joanna Tuffy (L): asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the need for appropriate numbers of special needs assistants to meet the needs of pupils at a school (details supplied) in County Cork; Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): The Deputy will be aware the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating teaching staff and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to special schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Departments criteria in allocating such support, which now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to an overall cap on the number of SNA posts. As set out in my Departments Circular 0042/2011, in order for the NCSE to complete the processing of applications for mainstream schools in the first instance, the existing 2010/11 level of SNA supports have been maintained in special schools for the coming school year, other than for schools with declining enrolments, with a review to take place in Autumn of the 11/12 school year. This review will also take into account the Policy Analysis and Value for Money Review of the SNA scheme and policy advice received from the NCSE on the Future of Special Schools and Classes. In relation to teaching posts, Circular 0042/11 states that there are a small number of special schools which have significant excess teacher posts and that the NCSE may therefore contact such schools to review the individual circumstances in these schools. The Circular indicates that the NCSE may suppress a post in schools which have excess teaching posts in order to create a post in a school which does not have excess posts and which has growing pupil numbers. The overall levels of teaching and SNA support in the school referred to by the Deputy in County Cork, is currently being reviewed by the NCSE. The school caters for pupils with severe/profound disability and ASD. The correct teacher allocation ratio for schools catering for children with severe and profound disability is 6:1. In 2010/11 the school had 7 approved class teaching posts and 3 supernumerary posts and 28 SNAs. The enrolment is 38 pupils, including the 9 new children enrolled for September 2011. One of the surplus teachers retired at the end of the last school year and the school is not eligible for a replacement. A further supernumerary post has been withdrawn leaving the school with 1 supernumerary post above its staffing allocation. Notwithstanding the outcome of this review, it is the position of both my Department and the NCSE that given the exceptionally high levels of teaching and support staff which have been allocated to the school, that the school has sufficient support within its overall allocation to enable it provide for the teaching and care support requirements of all of the children enrolled to the school, pending the outcome of this review. Deputy Seán Kyne (FG): asked the Minister for Social Protection if Asperger’s syndrome is a recognised condition under which the domiciliary care allowance may be granted; and the number of times the list of applicable medical conditions for the scheme is reviewed. Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): Qualification for domiciliary care allowance is dependent on the child having a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and likely to require this level of care for at least 12 months. In advance of the transfer of the scheme from the HSE to the Department of Social Protection in 2009, medical guidelines were established to identify conditions which are more likely to result in a child meeting the qualifying condition and those less likely to result in the child qualifying. These lists are for the guidance of medical assessor’s, however no condition automatically rules a child in or out of qualification for the allowance. Applications for children with Asperger syndrome are processed in exactly the same manner as an application for a child with any other condition, with each application being assessed on its own merits. There is no scheduled review period for the medical guidelines document. Deputy Clare Daly (SP): asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the bereavement grant is not made available to families in need in circumstances when the deceased is a disabled adult and the disability was an impediment to working and making PRSI contributions and likewise the disability was an impediment to the person with a disability marrying; and the further reason the current regulations governing the availability of the grant specify that where the deceased is an adult his or her spouse must have made 26 PRSI contributions. Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): The Bereavement Grant is a payment designed to assist families in dealing with death and funeral expenses. It is a scheme that relates specifically to those who have made PRSI contributions and is payable on the death of an insured person, his/her spouse and dependent children under age 18 or under age 22 if in full-time education. In 2007 the bereavement grant was extended to the next of kin of deceased recipients of disability allowance aged between 16 and 22 years. There are a wide range of benefits available to people who have paid social insurance. Entitlement to these benefits is dependent on the number of contributions and the class of contribution. Long term payments, such as the State pension (contributory), require a significant number of contributions given the value of the pension. The bereavement grant is available on the basis of only 26 contributions by the deceased or his or her spouse. This is significantly fewer contributions than are required by most other PRSI based payments. I recognise of course that there are people who are unable to satisfy the minimum PRSI requirements. For that reason, where there are no or insufficient PRSI contributions to qualify for bereavement grant a person may receive assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. Under this arrangement, the Community Welfare Officer may make a single payment to help meet exceptional expenditure, for example, for funeral expenses, which a family could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their income. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh (SF): asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 42 of 20 July 2011 to whom she envisages the new partial capacity scheme will apply; if she will publish and invite feedback on the draft regulations prior to their finalisation; and if she will bring the draft regulations before Dáil Éireann to allow for debate on their detail. Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): The legislative basis which provides for the introduction of the Partial Capacity Benefit scheme is contained in the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2010, which was enacted by the Oireachtas in December 2010. The partial capacity benefit scheme will be open to people who are in receipt of invalidity pension or who have been in receipt of illness benefit for a minimum of six months. Participation in the scheme will be voluntary and the scheme is designed in particular to respond to the needs of people who currently seek to avail of ‘exemptions’ in order to take up employment opportunities. The regulations which are currently in the course of preparation will elaborate on the detail of the operation of the scheme and will formally set out, for instance, the rates of payment which will apply to those who avail of the scheme and the medical criteria which may be taken into account by the Department’s medical assessors in determining partial employment capacity. The normal process for introducing regulations will be followed for the partial capacity benefit regulations. The development of the scheme has been the subject of regular consultation with stakeholders through the Department’s disability consultative fora. The priority at this stage is to complete all the necessary steps, including the development of an appropriate IT platform, in order to ensure that the scheme will be introduced before the end of this year. Deputy Joe Carey (FG): asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason persons in receipt of any form of disability allowance are not entitled to access an internship under the JobBridge programme; Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): The overall objective of labour market policy is to provide a pathway to appropriate employment, training and education opportunities for those on the Live Register so that as employment opportunities become available they can be taken up by those on the Register. For this reason, in order to be eligible to participate in JobBridge - the National Internship Scheme, an individual must;
Given the scale of the unemployment crisis, it is imperative to keep those on the Live Register close to the labour market and prevent the drift into long-term unemployment. This will ensure that those availing of activation measures such as the National Internship Scheme will gain work experience and so be in a better position to avail of employment opportunities as the economy improves. For these reasons, eligibility for the scheme is confined to those on the Live Register and in receipt of unemployment payments or signing for credits for 3 months. In so designing the scheme, the policy objective is to prioritise scarce resources on those on the Live Register so as to increase their chances of leaving it and ensure a reduction in Exchequer costs over time. Individuals who are in receipt of a disability allowance can access the FÁS Work Placement Programme, which provides participants with a work experience placement of between two and nine months. During this time participants may be able to retain their social welfare entitlements.In addition, people in receipt of a disability allowance can access a range of other specific programmes, such as the Supported Employment Programme and the Wage Subsidy Scheme. Both of these programmes aim to assist people with a disability to secure and maintain a job in the labour market. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh (SF): asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to extend the existing advocacy service for those who experience difficulty dealing with a public body to include older persons in general. Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton): The remit of the Citizens Information Board (CIB), under the aegis of my Department, is to provide advocacy on public and social services for all citizens. It fulfils this remit through the network of Citizens Information Services (CIS) where trained staff and volunteers will assist people, many of whom are over 65 years of age, in accessing entitlements and negotiating with providers on their behalf. In addition, the Citizens Information Act (2007) conferred responsibility on the CIB for the provision of advocacy services for people with disabilities. In this regard, the National Advocacy Service (NAS) was established, which is an independent, representative advocacy service for people with disabilities. A National Advocacy Programme Alliance, established by the HSE, provides independent advocacy services for older people in residential care settings. A working group was set up to progress this plan, which includes representation from the CIB. Currently there are 250 volunteers trained under the programme, delivering volunteer advocacy services to over 2,500 people in 89 nursing homes and community units around the country. The service is now moving to Third Age to ensure independence from service providers, with funding provided by the HSE.The NAS will work closely with the Third Age volunteer programme for older people and take referrals where particularly vulnerable older people are at risk. As well as providing information, advice, and advocacy to older people, the CIB will work closely with older people’s organisations, such as Third Age, Age Action and the Alzheimer Society in providing different types of advocacy for older people with disabilities.
Deputy Niall Collins (FF): asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the percentage of employees, in each local authority, that have a mental or physical disability; Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan): The local authority sector as a whole has exceeded the Government’s target of 3% for the employment of people with disabilities in the public sector each year since 2001. Based on information supplied by local authorities in the format required under the Disability Act 2005, the percentage of employees with a disability in each local authority for 2010 is set out in the table.
Deputy Charles Flanagan (FG): asked the Minister for Health the position regarding the employment panel for physiotherapists here; if recently graduated physiotherapists have been accommodated with employment in the health service; Minister for Health (Deputy James Reilly): The HSE held a centralised recruitment competition for Staff Grade Physiotherapists in 2008. Since then 237 permanent posts have been filled from this panel and a further 110 temporary appointments made. These appointments were to fill many of the service developments for both Primary Care Teams and Disability services, together with replacements for existing physiotherapists who were promoted or were on maternity leave. This panel is still live with a potential 246 candidates remaining. As this panel dates from 2008 it does not contain any recent graduates. However, I have asked the HSE to carry out a validation of the panel to determine how many of those on it are still available for employment. The Employment Control Framework 2011-2014 gives effect to Government priorities on employment policy in the public sector and provides that there will be a net reduction in employment to 2014. However, the Framework allows for some growth in certain grades which are exempt from the moratorium on recruitment including Physiotherapists in order to deliver on key priority services. You may also wish to note that I have asked the HSE to develop proposals in relation to providing internship opportunities for qualified physiotherapists under the new JobBridge Scheme operated by the Department of Social Protection. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh (SF): asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary No. 220 of 25 May 2011, if he will make a statement detailing the steps taken to disaggregate mental health and disability services with specialist service providers to create more appropriate care programmes for individuals with learning disability. Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kathleen Lynch): The Government’s policy for the planning and delivery of services to people with disabilities is that they should be given the opportunity to live as full a life as possible and to live with their families, and as part of their communities, for as long as possible. The position in relation to the transfer of people with an intellectual disability currently residing in psychiatric hospitals will be addressed through the HSE’s Corporate Plan 2011 – 2014 which is currently being drafted. Closure plans which are currently being developed for large psychiatric hospitals (where there are approximately 277 people with intellectual disability according to the NIDD report of 2009) will include arrangements for the transfer of those individuals to appropriate community residential facilities. An example of these arrangements currently being progressed is St Ita’s in Portrane for the transfer of clients from the psychiatric hospital to appropriate community facilities in Knockamann. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh (SF): asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 220 of 25 May 2011, his strategy for individuals with dual diagnosis who require acute psychiatric care that the Health Service Executive has developed in collaboration with voluntary and independent providers; and if he will elaborate on the work that is continuing; Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kathleen Lynch): Following the publication of A Vision for Change, a Working Group was established by the HSE to consider Mental Health Service Delivery Models and Inpatient Capacity for Persons with Intellectual Disability and Mental Health Problems. This Working Group completed its Report in September 2006. The strategy outlined in the report was developed in collaboration with specialist healthcare professionals as well as voluntary and independent service providers in the sector. The objective was and still is to more appropriately cater for the specific needs of individuals with a dual diagnosis of intellectual disability who also require acute psychiatric care. The strategy involves the provision of regionally based facilities to provide a flexible and effective continuum of care based on need. These include acute, assessment and rehabilitation beds and services, day hospital and respite places. There is also a significant review on-going at present in relation to the provision of disability services generally which is expected to be concluded by the end of this year and that may provide further input to the way in which the dual diagnosis programme is developed. Proposals for taking this work forward are currently under discussion between my Department and the relevant Assistant National Directors with responsibility for mental health and disability services in the HSE. Deputy Charlie McConalogue (FF): asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the consideration he will give to allowing the free travel pass that is issued to persons with disabilities to be used on routes operated under the rural transport scheme; Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (Deputy Alan Kelly): Thirty-six rural community transport groups are being funded under my Department’s Rural Transport Programme (RTP), which is operational in every county and plays an important role in combating rural isolation. These groups are working towards maximising coverage in their operational areas having regard to local public transport service needs and the availability of resources. The Free Travel Scheme of the Department of Social Protection applies to all services operated under the Rural Transport Programme. Deputy Niall Collins (FF): asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the decision to reduce the number of special needs assistants at a school (details supplied) in County Cork. Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): The Deputy will be 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. This now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to an overall cap on the number of SNA posts. 10,575 whole time equivalent (WTE) posts are being provided for SNA support for the coming school year. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies are being filled up to this number. It is considered that with equitable and careful management and distribution of these resources that there should be sufficient posts to provide access to SNA support for all children who require such care support to attend school, in accordance with Departmental criteria. The NCSE issued a circular to all schools advising of the allocation process for the 2011/2012 school year. A key feature of the amended scheme is to provide for an annual allocation of Special Needs Assistant support to eligible schools. The NCSE has now advised all mainstream schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy in County Cork, of their SNA allocation for the current school year, taking into account the care needs of qualifying pupils attending the school.I wish to clarify for the Deputy that SNA allocations are not permanent, as the level of SNA support allocated to a school may be increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. They are also decreased where a child’s care needs may have diminished over time.I also wish to clarify that the recruitment and deployment of SNAs within schools are matters for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.The NCSE will advise schools early in the new school year of any review process to review allocation decisions to ensure that correct procedures were followed and that they comply with my Department’s policy. The merits of individual allocation decisions will not be open to appeal under this mechanism. It will be expected that schools, before requesting a review, will be in a position to demonstrate that they have made every effort to manage their allocation of SNA posts to best effect. Deputy Áine Collins (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to set up a panel system similar to that currently being used by national school teachers for special needs assistants. Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): It is important to note that Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations are not permanent, as the level of SNA support allocated to a school may be increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. They are also decreased where a child’s care needs may have diminished over time. The recruitment and deployment of SNAs within schools are matters for the individual Principal/Board of Management. The Board is the SNA’s employer and the terms of employment are subject to the conditions of the contract of employment. There are therefore presently no plans to introduce a panel system for SNAs. However, the Deputy will be aware that my Department has recently published a Value for Money (VFM) and Policy Analysis review of the Special Needs Assistant scheme. This review is available on my Departments website: www.education.ie. The Value for Money review recommended that the Department of Education and Skills should consider conducting a cost benefit analysis, to establish if the introduction of a regional redeployment scheme for SNAs would lead to greater economic efficiency. It also recommended that alternative employment models for SNAs that could achieve greater administrative efficiencies and provide greater employment certainty for SNAs should be considered by the DES.My Department is currently establishing a working group which will consider and implement the recommendations of the SNA Value for Money report.In the interim, a Special Needs Assistant whose post is surplus to the approved allocation to the school may be entitled to a redundancy payment under the terms of circular 58/2006 — titled Redundancy Arrangements for Special Need Assistants. Support to SNAs who may have been made redundant is provided for within the terms of this scheme. Deputy Regina Doherty (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on educating children with autism; if this Deputy will be furnished with a copy of same; the research underpinning same; and the date it was originally published. Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): The Deputy will be aware that policy can be expressed and manifested through a variety of forms. Explicitly, it is communicated via legislation, regulations, rulings, orders, plans, strategies, policy statements, and other forms — or through a combination of these. Therefore the Deputy will appreciate that specific policies and objectives are not always articulated in just one document.In response to a previous request from the Deputy regarding my Department’s policy on autism I outlined how my Department strives to ensure that a continuum of special education provision is available as required for children with special educational needs. In line with this approach the policy is to promote a child-centred approach to education of all children with special educational needs including those with autism. As each child with autism is unique they should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs. Children with autism present with a wide range of needs. Some children are capable of being fully integrated into mainstream schools without additional teaching or care supports. Others are able to attend mainstream schools but need additional teaching and/or care assistance. Many are best enrolled in autism-specific classes where more intensive and supportive interventions are required. Some may move from one setting to another as they get older and differing needs/strengths/abilities emerge. The preferred policy of my Department is that children with autism are educated in school settings where children may have access to individualised education programmes (IEPs), fully-qualified professional teachers, special needs assistants, the appropriate school curriculum with the option, where possible and appropriate, of full or partial integration and interaction with other pupils. Autism classes are established with a staffing ratio of 1 teacher and a minimum of 2 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) for every 6 children. Other SNAs may be allocated if required to meet the care needs of the children. Start-up grants are provided to the schools to enable special equipment to be purchased. Enhanced capitation is paid in respect of each child and assistive technology is funded where this is recommended. This approach promotes the maximum level of inclusion which accords with the intent of the EPSEN Act.While some children may be able to attend a mainstream class, for others the most appropriate provision may be in a special class or unit in the school or in a special school. My Department supports provision in mainstream schools, some 430 special classes for autism attached to mainstream and special schools and 18 special schools for children with autism throughout the State which cater for the educational needs of some 5,000 children with autism, all of which operate within the policy parameters. This policy is based on advice received from international experts on autism, NEPS, the Inspectorate and the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism.My Department is satisfied that research does not support the exclusive usage of any one approach as a basis for national educational provision for children with autism. It is for this reason that my Department’s preferred policy is for a child centred approach where the approach to be taken is based on the individual child’s needs. In arriving at the preferred policy which is currently in place, my Department has considered published research, including the Report of the Task Force on Autism (2001) and the Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (2006), both of which are available on my Department’s website has also informed the policy. My Department was also mindful of contributions of many others experts at international conferences/visits have also informed the development views. Deputy James Bannon (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give an update on the educational provision in respect of eight persons (details supplied), left without a school place suitable to their requirements, due to the lack of funding for Achieve ABA; Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): The Deputy’s question refers to a proposal for an academy for children with autism which was submitted to my Department for consideration by Achieve ABA. The Deputy will be aware that my Department had no direct funding arrangements with the group in question. Consideration of this proposal took account of my Department’s policy in this regard, which is focused on ensuring that all children, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. This facilitates access to individualised education programmes, fully qualified professional teachers who may draw from a range of autism-specific interventions, including ABA, special needs assistants, and the appropriate school curriculum with the option where possible of full/partial integration and interaction with other pupils. As each child with autism is unique it is important that children have access to a range of interventions so their broader needs can be met.My Department’s policy is to provide for children with special educational needs, including autism, to be included in mainstream schools unless such a placement would not be in their best interests or the interests of the children with whom they are to be educated. Some children may be supported in a special class attached to a mainstream school. These students have the option, where appropriate, of full/partial integration and interaction with other pupils. Other children may have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school. Students with special educational needs have access to a range of support services including additional teaching and/or care supports. In special schools and special classes, students are supported through lower pupil teacher ratios. Special needs assistants may also be recruited specifically where pupils with disabilities and significant care needs are enrolled.The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the provision of a range of educational services at local and national level for students with special educational needs. In particular, its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) co-ordinates special needs education provision at local level and arranges for the delivery of special educational services. The SENOs act as single points of contact for parents of students with special educational needs. Another specific function of the SENO is to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs. SENOs are a valuable source of support to parents who are actively sourcing a placement for their children. The NCSE have been fully engaged in securing placements for the children in question. The NCSE has advised my Department that, irrespective of the assessed levels of ability of the children, there are placements available for these children. I also understand from my officials that the parents of the children have been advised of their placement options by the NCSE at the start of this week. I also wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved additional home tuition for the children which will facilitate transitional arrangements when the school based placements have been accepted by the parents.
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Inclusion
Ireland, Unit C2, The Steelworks, Foley Street, Dublin 1, Ireland.
Tel: 01 8559891 Fax: 01 8559904 Email: info@inclusionireland.ie |