AQW 6007/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 09/02/2024
Answered On Date: 20/02/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education what support can be provided to Irish Medium teachers to ensure that Special Educational Needs assessment of Irish Medium Education pupils can take place.

Answer:

I have assumed that you are referring to statutory assessment of educational needs.

Statutory assessment of all children and young people is conducted by the Educational Psychology service in the Education Authority (EA). For children in Irish-medium education (IME), where possible the EA attempts to provide educational psychologists with experience in Irish language or bilingualism.

The department is engaging with Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (CNaG) and the IME sector to ensure the specific needs of the sector are considered in the End to End (E2E) Review of Special Educational Needs (SEN).