The Department of Education has announced plans to cut teaching support for teenagers with disabilities by five per cent.

A communication issued to second-level schools outlines an initiative that will see fewer hours set aside for children with conditions such as dyslexia, RTE reports.

The move will be introduced in September and will see the hours held back redistributed to schools that currently have no allocation.

Despite the Department of Education claiming there will be no overall reduction to the number of resource teachers, the plans have been criticised by the Joint Managerial Body.

The group expressed concerns for youngsters with more severe disabilities such as autism and Down syndrome, claiming additional cuts may be introduced later in the year that will affect these children. 

Elsewhere, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn recently said he would consider expanding the Deis scheme to include more schools with high numbers of disadvantaged pupils, as the current eligibility rate is based on figures from 2005. 

Written by Donal Walsh

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