The Joint Managerial Body, the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools, and the Education and Training Boards of Ireland (Post Primary Division) would like to reassure parents and young people with additional educational needs and disabilities that schools will continue to support students within the revised SET Allocation Model. This statement sets out the collective commitment to further developments of the profiling model and welcomes engagement with the DE.

The post primary management bodies welcome the extensive engagement with the Department of Education on the revised Special Education Teacher Allocation Model for Post primary Schools (Circular 03/2024). The following observations were agreed at a joint meeting of the management bodies.

The SET Allocation Model:

1. Addresses many of the shortcomings of the previous model

2. Reflects feedback from the post primary management bodies over the last number of years.

3. Is more flexibly responsive to the evolving needs of students in schools, with an annual profiling allocation welcomed.

4. Commits to a roadmap for future improvements to profiling model as outlined in the Circular 03/2024.

The management bodies look forward to continuing to work with the Department on the roadmap for future refinement of the profiling model and welcome the commitment to the annual review process.

Sincerely,

Deirdre Matthews, General Secretary, JMB

Paul Fields, Director of Schools, ETBI

John Irwin, General Secretary, ACCS