Schools in Ireland have been given a deadline for applications regarding resource hours and special needs assistants. 

The National Council for Special Education announced that schools have until Friday September 20th to get their applications in - and the news comes after resource teaching hours for the academic year were allocated in June, the Irish Examiner reports.

Concerns have been raised, however, that pupils with newly diagnosed disabilities could face another year without the required resources should their schools not act quickly enough.

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) would like to see the deadline extended so that principals are able to make submissions at such a busy time of year. Sheila Nunan, General Secretary of INTO, said: "With 10,000 more children in primary schools this year, it is obvious there will be an increase in pupils with special needs."

It was put forward that it is impossible to identify all new issues of this type just three weeks into the school year. 

Written by Donal Walsh

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