Cut of 15% in special needs teaching to stay in place

Children with disabilities look set for another school year of 15% cuts to their special-needs teaching while a new way of giving schools extra staff is finalised.

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan said at the Oireachtas education committee last month it is more likely to be September 2016 than next year before a new system comes in to give schools the teachers to work specifically with children with disabilities or learning difficulties. However, she has told the Irish Examiner she does not expect to be able to restore a 15% cut in resource teaching time in place since 2012 for children with disabilities. She has to provide extra teachers and classrooms for around 8,500 more primary pupils and 5,000 more at second level next year in Budget 2015.

“Because we need to cater for demographics, I don’t know that we’ll be able to do anything about the 85%,” she said.