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.