February 24 2010

Dáil Debates

• Adjournment Debate: Cuts to St. Anthony’s school in Castlebar

Parliamentary Questions

• Number of SNAs withdrawn from classrooms in 2010
• Status of Report from NCSE on SNAs
• Additional resources provided to schools that had special classes abolished in 2009

DÁIL DEBATES

• Adjournment Debate: Cuts to St. Anthony’s school in Castlebar

Deputy John O’Mahony (FG): I thank the Ceann Comhairle for choosing this matter on the Adjournment. I want to appeal in the strongest possible way against the proposed reduction of four special needs assistants in St. Anthony’s school, Castlebar. The school has 40 students, ranging in age from four to 18, all of whom have mild general learning difficulties. However, many have other conditions such as Down’s syndrome, ADD. ADHT, autism, cerebral palsy and speech disorders, to name but a few. I have visited the school and spoken to many of the parents who are full of glowing praise as regards the wonderful progress their children are making due to the diligence and commitment of all the staff, including the special needs assistants. The key issue in this whole matter is that the criteria being used for the review of special needs assistant numbers is the same as that in use for mainstream schools. This is unfair, unjust and discriminates against the most vulnerable in our society who cannot speak for themselves. At present the school is just at coping level with six classes, including one for multi-disabled students. Each class has two special needs assistants and there is a nurse who cares for the medical needs of the pupils. The whole school evaluation carried out last January outlined the vital necessity of the 13 special needs assistants time and again. The proposed cut of four SNAs, special needs assistants, or 30% of staff is due to be implemented by Easter, only a short number of weeks away. This decision must be reversed. I am pleased to share my time with Deputy Flynn tonight. This issue is above politics. As we speak, a public meeting is taking place in Castlebar which is waiting for the answer from the Minister of State. I urge Deputy Flynn to use whatever pressure is at her disposal to correct this matter. The campaign starting tonight in Castlebar is only the beginning. A positive answer here could result in the end of the campaign and the securing of employment for the four staff due to be cut. Otherwise, this will come back to haunt the Government.

Deputy Beverley Flynn (FF): I am very pleased to speak on this issue tonight. As my colleague outlined, St. Anthony’s national school in my home town of Castlebar caters for children with mild general learning difficulties. The children also have physical, emotional and behavioural difficulties. There are 40 pupils, six full-time teachers, three part-time teachers and 13 SNAs. It is a county-wide school, not only for pupils in my home town. It deals with pupils from Achill to Ballyhaunis in a county some 120 miles in diameter. A report reviewing the position of the SNAs in the school was carried out and will be presented tomorrow, along with an official decision from the National Council for Special Education. The recommendation will be that four SNAs will be cut from the school. It will retain the current number of teachers, but a cut of four SNAs, to be effective by Easter, is simply unacceptable.A review of this school also took place in March 2007 using similar criteria. At the time, only two short years ago, the current level of SNAs was approved. There were 39 pupils in the school at the time, whereas there are 40 there today. Of those 40 pupils, it is worth bearing in mind that ten are autistic, three are visually impaired, two have cerebral palsy, one is deaf, two have hearing impairments, three have epilepsy, two are grossly obese, one is in a wheelchair, one has high anxiety and nine have dyslexia. They also have behavioural difficulties, multisensory problems, personal care needs, one child has attention deficit hyperactive disorder, ADHD, another child has brittle bone syndrome and there are children from five nationalities in the school.I am very uncomfortable with the independent review process carried out by the National Council for Special Education in this case and I am very uncomfortable with independent studies carried out at arm’s length from the Department. When such decisions are taken, the flak comes on politicians although we have had no input. I do not like this and such reviews should be carried out by the Department of Education and Science where, at least, as politicians, we can answer for the decisions taken. It is completely unacceptable that any change would occur during the middle of the year. To take away four SNAs during the middle of a year is simply not acceptable. It is also very disappointing that when this decision becomes official tomorrow, the only avenue open to the school is an appeal process. This school should not have to go through an appeal process because it should be treated differently. SNAs in a special needs school fulfil a different role from those in mainstream schools. They are not simply SNAs, but also classroom assistants. The SNAs in this school have first aid skills and sign language, some have braille skills, they have completed crisis prevention courses and two of the SNAs drive the school bus. Many of the SNAs provide a bus escort service in the school from 7.15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Such is the dedication of the staff. A whole school evaluation was carried out some time ago for this school. It received a fantastic result and the Department can check this fact. The school had been informed that one blind child is entitled to 0.25 of an SNA. That is an absolutely crazy decision and it is completely unacceptable that such a determination could result from any review. Ten autistic children have been allocated to four SNAs and one special class has been allocated one SNA. I appeal to the Minister of State to bring the message to the Minister for Education and Science to treat special needs schools differently from mainstream schools and to reverse this decision because it is simply not acceptable.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Deputy Tony Killeen): Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí as ucht an ábhar tábhachtach seo a chur os comhairna Dála. Tá mé ag freagairt thar ceann an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta. I wish tomake very clear that the education of children with special educational needs has been andremains a key priority for the Government. It has put vast resources into schools to enablethem to meet the needs of children with special educational needs. In excess of €1 billion wasspent within the education system for this purpose last year. Students with disabilities willcontinue to receive support as they have for the past ten years.I emphasise what is really important. Schools which have enrolled children who qualify forsupport for a special needs assistant, SNA, will continue to be allocated SNA support. Thisscheme is under way at present. The National Council for Special Education continues toprocess applications from schools for SNA support. The SNA scheme has been a major factorin both ensuring the successful integration of children with special educational needs into mainstreameducation and providing support to pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes.The SNA scheme will continue to be supported. The terms and criteria for the SNA schemehave not changed. Where the criteria are met, SNA posts are being allocated.

Deputy John O’Mahony: The criteria are the problem.

Deputy Tony Killeen: I assure the Deputies there is no question of posts being removed from schools where they meet the scheme’s criteria.

Deputy John O’Mahony: That is not the case.

Deputy Tony Killeen: However, there is also no question of posts being left in schools indefinitely where they are deemed to be surplus to the care needs of the pupils or where the pupils themselves have left. In the SNA allocation process the allocation for any school and any adjustments to that allocation depend on a number of factors such as the number of pupils with care and medical needs who leave, the number of new pupils and the changing care needs of existing pupils in the school. SNA allocations are, therefore, not permanent. They are 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 Deputies will be aware that the NCSE, National Council for Special Education, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is responsible for allocating resource teachers and SNAs to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within the criteria of the Department of Education and Science in allocating such support. The NCSE is independent in the making and issuing of its decisions relating to the allocation of such supports. The Department of Education and Science requested the NCSE to review all SNA posts because the Department had become aware that a number of SNA posts were in schools where the care needs of the pupils in the schools concerned did not justify such an allocation. Accordingly, the Department requested that the NCSE carry out a nationwide review of all schools to ensure that SNA posts were allocated to schools in line with the care needs of the pupils and that any excess posts would be withdrawn. The NCSE, through its network of SENOs, is carrying out a review of SNA allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. SENOs are communicating the outcome of the review directly to schools as the review progresses. It is expected that the NCSE will have completed the review by the end of March this year. The Deputies are fully aware that the Department of Education and Science has prioritized the provision of special education supports to schools, a key Government policy. However, this does not mean that resources allocated in response to various historical factors are retained in schools ad infinitum. At a time of constrained resources it is essential to ensure that public resources are deployed as effectively as possible. Resources left in an area that are not in accordance with criteria mean public resources are not available for another deserving area. Deputies will share the Minister’s concern to ensure a consistent application of policy in respect of the allocation of special needs supports throughout the country, which amounts to what is taking place at the moment. The Minister for Education and Science assures the Deputies that supports will continue to be made available to schools which have enrolled pupils who qualify for such support. I thank the Deputies again for raising this matter. The Dáil adjourned at 9.30 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 25 February 2010.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• Number of SNAs withdrawn from classrooms in 2010

Deputy Brian Hayes (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of special needs assistants that have been withdrawn from classrooms to date in 2010 as part of the national review of special needs assistants;

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is at present carrying out a review of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations in all schools. The purpose of this review is to ensure that all SNA posts meet the criteria governing the allocation of such posts, as outlined in my Department’s Circular 07/02. As part of this review, the NCSE will identify and suppress any surplus posts which do not meet the scheme’s criteria — for example, posts that have been retained when a pupil’s care needs have diminished or when the pupil has left. 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 for a school year in the same way as are, for example, classroom teaching posts. The NCSE is independent in the making and issuing of its decisions relating to SNA allocations. SENOs are communicating the outcome of the review directly to schools as the review progresses. The NCSE has advised that the review will be completed by end March 2010. I will be glad to advise the Deputy of the outcome of the review once it is complete. I wish to assure the Deputy that SNA support will continue to be made available to schools which have enrolled pupils who qualify for such support.

• Status of Report from NCSE on SNAs

Deputy Brian Hayes (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has received a report from the National Council for Special Education on the matter of special needs provision in schools; when he plans to publish this report;

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): I assume the Deputy is referring to the review of special schools and special classes being undertaken by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). I understand that the NCSE expects to be in a position shortly to send me a copy of the research it has commissioned concerning the role of special schools and special classes. The NCSE proposes to publish this research on its website in the near future. While the NCSE has funded this research, it states clearly on its website, and the final research item will state, that the views and opinions contained in such research reports are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the NCSE. This research may be one of a number of many strands of evidence to be considered by the NCSE when formulating its position in relation to special schools and special classes. Ultimately, it is expected that advice received from the NCSE will assist my Department with policy formulation in relation to the role of special schools and special classes. I look forward to receiving the research from the NCSE.

• Additional resources provided to schools that had special classes abolished in 2009

Deputy Brian Hayes (FG): asked the Minister for Education and Science the additional special needs resources provided to each of the schools which had special classes for children with mild general learning disabilities abolished in 2009, in tabular form; the resources that allocated to each school following the abolition of their special classes;

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): I assume that the Deputy is referring to my Department’s decision last year to close a number of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability (MGLD). I would like to assure the Deputy that there will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a MGLD. All primary schools have been allocated learning support/resource teaching support through the General Allocation Model specifically to support pupils with a high incidence special educational need, including MGLD. The specific information requested by the Deputy with respect to pupils with a MGLD is not available as 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. Some schools advised that a number of pupils with a low incidence special educational need were enrolled in these classes. My Department advised these schools to apply to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for additional resource teaching hours for the pupils concerned. I have forwarded the Deputy’s question to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

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