The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) has criticised the announcement of further reductions to resource teaching time for children with special needs.

From the start of the next school year, this will be cut by five per cent and the government has been slated for its delay in declaring the move.

It was suggested the new time allocation levels do not easily add up to the 25 hours needed for filling teaching posts and this makes more work for individual schools.

The organisation intends to engage in talks with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in a bid to clarify criteria for full-time position so schools are aware of what is required in time for the start of the new academic year in September.

Commenting on the NCSE's announcement, chairperson of Special Needs Parents Association Lorraine Dempsey said the body is pleased to hear of plans to release 211 extra whole-time Special Needs Assistant posts in the initial round of applications.

However, she added: "Compromising the level of children's direct access to more specialist teaching techniques in mainstream settings will lead to negative outcomes in certain cases."

Written by Donal Walsh

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