Parents’ bid to get grant for son with special needs [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 14 July 2010
THE parents of a boy, aged 4, submitted a com- plaint to the Ombudsman for Children’s Office (OCO), raising concerns that their child, who was diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder and a moderate intellectual disorder, had been refused at short notice a Home Tuition Grant (HTG) for the coming school year, as the Department of Education& had stated that a placement was available for him in a mainstream primary school.
The complaint contend- ed the placement in the school was unsuitable for the child’s needs as he was a non-verbal child, not yet toilet-trained, suffered from a feeding disorder and had temper and screaming tantrums when agitated and frustrated.
The complainants stated that the primary school was over 25 miles away from the family home and unfeasible for their son at his stage of development.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Primary teachers in Ireland among world's best paid [IrishTimes]
- Published: 14 July 2010
PRIMARY TEACHERS in Ireland are among the best paid in the world, according to a draft report considered by the Cabinet yesterday.
The Forfás 2010 report on the cost of doing business in Ireland says the starting salary for the Republic’s 25,000 primary teachers is 15 per cent above the OECD average, while their top salary scale is 33 per cent above the OECD average.
The report says pay for primary teachers with 15 years experience is the highest of any OECD country, aside from Luxembourg.
The report benchmarked teacher salaries with those across 24 other OECD states including the US, Sweden, Britain, Germany and Norway.
The report also found Ireland had the highest average salary for medical specialists ($225,000 a year) when compared with other OECD states.
Commenting on the finding, it says that while public sector wages do not have a direct impact on business costs, they have a significant indirect impact because they represent a “significant component of the cost of public and administered services”.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Ombudsman gets tutor back for autistic boy (4) [Independent.ie]
- Published: 14 July 2010
A SEVERELY disabled autistic four-year-old boy had his grant for a personal tutor removed by the Department of Education.
His parents were told his Home Tuition Grant was being removed and a place was available in a primary school more than 25 miles away from his home.
The child, who had behavioural problems, was not yet toilet trained and had a feeding disorder, was denied the grant despite his GP and the HSE's Early Years Support Team saying he was not ready for school.
His parents were worried the removal of the grant would stunt his intellectual growth and development.
The department relented and the child received the grant for another year after the Ombudsman for Children's Office (OCO) intervened to ask why a four-year-old child with autism was being forced to enrol at a primary school.
In another case, a 16-year-old girl felt "alone and unwanted" after slipping through the cracks of the HSE crisis-intervention service and becoming homeless.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Methods of collecting school data to be revised [IrishTimes]
- Published: 14 July 2010
THE DEPARTMENT of Education says it will revise its arrangements for collecting information from schools after the Data Protection Commission warned it could be in breach of legislation.
In discussions with the commission earlier this year, the department confirmed it would seek parental consent in relation to the collection of sensitive personal data.
On RTÉ’s News At One yesterday Gary Davis, the Deputy Data Commissioner, said parents were often unaware information given to the schools was forwarded to the department.
This can include sensitive personal information including PPS numbers and medical card status.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
VEC apologises over religious status request on school form [leinsterleader.ie]
- Published: 14 July 2010
The form also stated that this information may be shared with other local primary schools.
Full Story: www.leinsterleader.ie
