Written Answers - Special Educational Needs.

Tuesday, 3 March 2009

Dáil Eireann Debate
Vol. 676 No. 4

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  485.  Deputy Tom Sheahan  Information on Tom Sheahan  Zoom on Tom Sheahan   asked the Minister for Education and Science  Information on Batt O'Keeffe  Zoom on Batt O'Keeffe   when a person (details supplied) in County Kerry will receive a full time special needs assistant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9011/09]

Minister for Education and Science (Deputy Batt O’Keeffe): Information on Batt O'Keeffe  Zoom on Batt O'Keeffe  As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department’s criteria in allocating such support.

The NCSE has advised that the school in question has the services of two full-time SNAs to support the care needs of four pupils with special educational needs, including the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The pupil has shared access to this support and the management of this access is a matter for the school authorities. In addition, the pupil has been allocated 3 hours resource teaching per week.

All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child’s special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

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