Four special schools in County Louth including St. Ita’s in Crushrod Avenue and the ABACAS School in Priest’s Lane are to be offered additional supports on foot of measures announced in Budget 2024.
A key feature announced in Budget 2024 was the provision of an additional €11 million specifically targeted at special schools. This additional funding provides for the removal of the current 15 teacher threshold for the appointment of Administrative Deputy Principals in special schools and a further 100 teaching posts targeted at special schools with post-primary aged students.
Welcoming the announcement, local Fine Gael TD, Fergus O’Dowd said: “The additional Administrative Deputy Principal posts aim to assist principals with leadership and management functions and to support learning and parental and community engagement. Abacas and St Brigid’s in County Louth will benefit from the additional posts from September.
“Over 50% of the students in special schools are aged 13 years and over and the new or additional post-primary teaching posts announced today will facilitate special schools to deliver a greater range of national curriculum subjects at junior and senior cycle.
“This measure aims to provide better access to programmes that are age and stage appropriate and Abacas, St Brigid’s, St Ita’s and St Mary’s Special Schools will all benefit from these new or additional posts from September.
“Our local Special schools provide invaluable education to children and young people with the most significant special educational needs and they do an absolutely fantastic job.
“These additional supports are very welcome and I will be pressing for further special education supports to be made available to both special schools and mainstream schools as part of the upcoming budget discussions.”
Minister Naughton said “Budget 2024 makes the biggest-ever commitment, in real, financial and percentage terms, to students with special educational needs and their families. The detail of the targeted measures for special schools announced today is designed to help support the 9,000 students in special schools to thrive at school and realise the full extent of their potential.
“I want to acknowledge in particular the support of Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) and each of the Education and Training Board (ETB)s nationwide who, together with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), have partnered with my Department to support the delivery of the additional post-primary posts to special schools.
“Each special school will be aligned with their local ETB, providing access to a support model for teacher supply in relevant curricular areas. All matters relating to the recruitment, assignment and payment of the teachers concerned will be managed by the designated ETB.
List of special schools in Louth which will benefit from a new or increased allocation of post-primary teaching hours from September, 2024
- ABACAS School, Priest’s Lane, Congress Ave., Drogheda, Co. Louth
- St. Brigid’s, Ard Easmuinn, Dundalk, Co. Louth
- St. Ita’s, Crushrod Avenue, Drogheda, Co. Louth
- St. Mary’s, Drumcar, Dunleer, Co. Louth
List of special schools which will benefit from the appointment of an administrative deputy principal from September, 2024
- St. Brigid’s, Ard Easmuinn, Dundalk, Co. Louth
- ABACAS School, Priest’s Lane, Congress Ave., Drogheda, Co. Louth
