Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 March 2025
247. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the reason the mainstream classes in a school (details supplied) are excluded from SEN support by the special education section within her Department; the reason the pupils there cannot access SNAs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14846/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra248. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if the special class in a school (details supplied) opened in 2016, has temporary or permanent status; and if her Department will support this class into the future. [14847/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together.
The Rutland Street Pre-school Project (also known as Holy Child Pre-School), was established in 1969. It is a two-year pre-school programme in a Dublin inner city community, with capacity for approximately 99 children (presently 93) aged between 3-5 years which is funded by the Department of Education. Although not part of Early Start, it was used to pilot many of the approaches later incorporated in the Early Start programme.
When the project was initiated, the pre-school was assigned a roll number and this was for administrative purposes only so that Teachers, Childcare Workers and latterly SNAs would be paid via the Department’s payroll.
While the preschool does have a roll number, it does not provide the preschool with a designation of a recognised primary school.
The Special Education Teaching (SET) model is an allocation model to provide recognised primary and post primary schools with additional teaching hours to support the teaching needs of their students in mainstream classes only.
All primary and post primary schools receive a SET allocation based on their profile of needs.
As the Holy Child Preschool is not a primary school it is not within scope of the SET allocation model.
The staffing for the project is an Administrative Principal and 7 teachers along with 5 childcare workers.
The preschool was assigned SNA posts solely for the Special Class which was approved in 2016 by the NCSE. All special classes are subject to review by the NCSE. Any decision on the status of a special class is based on the identified need within the relevant location. Where the NCSE confirm that the identified needs are such that the special class is warranted the special class will remain in place in that location.
In addition to teaching resources, the project receives an annual grant to fund non-teaching pay (secretary, cook, cleaner) and non-pay (running costs) elements.
Since 2017 the pre-school has been a part of the North East Inner City Initiative. This is an inter-agency group led by the Department of An Taoiseach which provides a range of support measures in Dublin’s North-East Inner City area, including early learning and care (ELC) services in the area.
My department will engage will all relevant areas with responsible for preschool provision and those m who are already providing support to the Holy Child preschool to ensure that the children attending there are supported.
