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The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, T.D., today announced that applications are now invited from suitably qualified and experienced persons, with a special interest or knowledge relating to the education of children with special educational needs as required by the EPSEN Act 2004, to fill vacancies on the Council of the National Council for Special Education to be established for the 3 year period from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018.

The NCSE was established in 2003. It is a Statutory Body with the structure and functions set out in the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act.

As provided for under the existing legislation provisions, the Minister will be appointing a Chairperson and 12 ordinary members, 2 of whom will be appointed by the Minister under a process which is being managed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) under the revised procedures put in place in late 2014 for the appointment of persons to positions on State Boards. 

Applications may only be made through the dedicated website www.stateboards.ie. PAS will undertake an assessment process in relation to the expressions of interest received and at the end of that process it will provide the Minister for Education and Skills with a list of candidates deemed to be suitable for appointment to the Council and provide to the Minister for Health, a list of candidates deemed to be suitable for nomination by him, to the Council.

The closing date for the receipt of applications via the website www.stateboards.ie is 7th January 2016. 

Notes for Editors:

Establishment and Role of the Agency

The National Council for Special Education was established under the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 to improve the delivery of education services to persons with special educational needs arising from disabilities with particular emphasis on children. The NCSE provides advice and information on special education to schools and parents; allocates resource teacher and special needs assistant supports to schools; undertakes and disseminates research into special education; and provides policy advice to the Minister for Education and Skills on issues relating to special education. The NCSE also has advisory roles in relation to the provision of specialist equipment/assistive technology for students and special school transport arrangements. 

The general functions of the Council are set out in Section 20 of the EPSEN Act. 

In carrying out its functions under the Act, the Council is required to consult directly with stakeholders as necessary and to establish a formal national Consultative Forum representative of all the stakeholders.

On 10th February 2015, it was announced that the remit of the National Council for Special Education would be expanded with the establishment of a new Inclusion Support Service to assist schools in supporting children with special educational needs. This service will include the Special Education Support Service (SESS), the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) and the Visiting Teacher Service for children who are deaf/hard of hearing and for children who are blind/visually impaired (VTSVHI) which had been managed by the Department. This change consistent with recommendations of NCSE reports and with the review of the VTSVHI.

Planning for the transition of these services is currently underway.

Further information on the work of the National Council for Special Education is available at www.ncse.ie.

Membership of the Board and terms of their Appointment 

The Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 provides that the Council shall compromise 13 members (at least 6 men and 6 women), including one Chairperson, all of whom are appointed by the Minister. 

Appointees to the Council are required to have a special interest in, or knowledge relating to, the education of children with special educational needs.

Section 21 (3) of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004, provides that the Minister is required to consult with national associations of parents, recognised school management organisations as well as recognised trade unions and staff associations representing teachers and principals of schools with a view, where the Minister considers it appropriate to do so, to appointing nominees of these bodies as members of the council. The legislation provides that up to four such nominees may be appointed to the Council in this manner.

Two members of the Council are required to be appointed from persons nominated by the National Disability (NDA) with a further appointee being nominated by the Minister for Health.
Guidelines for the Appointment to State Boards 2014. 

The guidelines generally require that members to State Boards should be selected under an appointment process under the Public Appointments Service (PAS), subject to exceptions which are set out under Section 9 of the Guidelines. 

Those exceptions which are relevant to the current appointment process are:

· Under S9.1.1 of the Guidelines a specific mechanism for filling vacancies on a State Board is laid down in legislation. (in this case Section 21 of EPSEN)

· Under S9.1.5 of the Guidelines, Members may be reappointed to a second term where the Minister is satisfied having consulted with the Chair that the Board member has already demonstrated through their performance as a member of the State Board their effectiveness and contribution which warrants their re-appointment. 

· Under S9.1.7 of the Guidelines, the Minister is appointing an official from her Department.

The current composition of the Council is:

Name Appointed Position type Basis of appointment
Eamon Stack 01/01/2013 Chairperson Appointed by Minister
Eithne Fitzgerald 01/01/2013 Council Member Nominee of National Disability Authority. Appointed by Minister
Helen Guinan 01/01/2013 Council Member Nominee of the Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA)/ National Association of Councils of Management in Special Education (NABMSE). Appointed by Minister
James O'Grady 01/01/2013 Council Member Minister for Health nominee. Appointed by Minister
Jenny Ennis 01/01/2013 Council Member Appointed directly by Minister
Joan Russell 01/01/2013 Council Member Nominee of Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA). Appointed by Minister
Mary Friel 01/01/2013 Council Member Nominee of Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI)/Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI). Appointed by Minister
Pat Kinsella 01/01/2013 Council Member Nominee of The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD). Appointed by Minister
Philip O’Callaghan 01/01/2013 Council Member Appointed directly by Minister
Seán Ó Murchú 01/01/2013 Council Member Appointed directly by Minister
Sheelagh Drudy 11/09/2013 Council Member Appointed directly by Minister
Tom O'Sullivan 14/10/2014 Council Member Nominee of National Disability Authority.
Vacancy Council Member Appointed directly by Minister

Remuneration

There is no remuneration or fee for the position.
Travel and subsistence allowances will be paid in respect of journeys undertaken to attend meetings of the Board or to transact its business.