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For Oral Answer on : 28/05/2024
Question Number(s): 69 Question Reference(s): 23863/24
Department: Education
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Minister for Education if there is a way that people who are not qualified as teachers, but who are highly experienced and qualified in other ways in working with children with exceptional special needs, can work with such students in special schools and in special classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
Ensuring students receive an education that is of high quality and standard is paramount. To ensure we are meeting this requirement the Teaching Council regulates the professional standards of teachers and teachers must register with the Teaching Council to be employed as teachers. This not only ensures that teachers are equipped with the necessary skills to meet the needs of students but also keeps our educational system resourced at a high standard.
A range of supports are provided to students with special educational needs throughout mainstream, special class and special school settings by my department. These supports include; special education teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and psychological supports provided through the department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). In addition, supports such as speech and language and occupational therapies are available from the Health Service Executive (HSE).
An additional 744 special education teachers and 1,216 SNAs will be added to our education system this year. This will mean we will have over 41,500 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting these children.
These qualified and experienced professionals ensure that each child receives an education befitting to their needs and supports them in reaching their full potential.
My department has, in recent times, introduced a number of measures to assist schools recruiting staff during the holiday period in order to enable them to run a Summer Programme.
Initiatives such as the Summer Programme Portal has expanded the reach of schools’ recruitment potential to staff not normally employed in their school and has been expanded to include student teachers and students in relevant disciplines such as therapy, social care and nursing and others, including early childcare workers and carers.
My department is committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
