Special needs cuts hit thousands of children

THOUSANDS of children with special needs will have their resource teaching hours cut in September because of unexpected levels of demand.

The Department of Education is just 100 posts short of a limit on special education teacher numbers under overall staffing restrictions imposed as part of the EU/IMF bailout.

While 2010 data suggests 400 more resource teaching posts could be needed by the end of the year, the Irish Examiner has learned that schools are to be told they will have to share existing special teaching hours among all pupils.

The 300 posts which would go unapproved as a result could cost around €13.5 million a year, but the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) said the department has spent the same amount in recent years fighting parents who try to get a fair deal for their children with special needs.

There are 9,856 resource teaching and learning support posts at primary and second level, but the department has only made provision for 9,950 this year.

It told the National Council for Special Education a fortnight ago to stop approving additional resource teaching hours until the situation has been reviewed. The council has asked schools to indicate in the next month what additional resource teaching hours they need for pupils in the next school year.

While there is scope for the Department of Education to seek an exception to strict staff ceilings officials have said they will not.

INTO general secretary Sheila Nunan said the latest hit on special needs is evidence that children are paying for the bank bailout.

“The money paid to rescue the banks would fund the extra teachers every year for more than 5,000 years.”

The department stressed that the number of resource teaching posts allowed for this year is 350 more than the 9,600 in place last year. But, a spokesperson said, its hands are strictly tied by the employment controls imposed on all departments.

Figures given to Education Minister Ruairi Quinn by his officials last month show that €14.5 million was spent by the department between 2003 and 2010 on legal costs and awards in cases brought by families of children with special needs.