Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The council will ensure that a senior SENO who has not been directly involved in making the original decision will process the appeal. In doing so, the senior SENO will uphold or alter the decision.

This appeals process has only just been introduced and is available to schools. I am aware that a number of schools have already submitted appeals in regard to the outcome of the review of SNA resources and these appeals will be processed following the Easter holidays. However, this process will lead to a greater level of clarity and more transparency around the allocation of teaching and SNA resources to schools for the 2010-11 academic year.

The council is now also in the process of establishing an independent advisory committee to process submissions from schools where, on receipt of an appeal, a board of management considers that the operation of the appeals process itself was deficient. This committee will comprise an independent chair, a representative of school management bodies and a parent. It is my understanding that this will meet in the autumn to review the operation of the appeals process following completion of applications for the next academic year. The committee will then submit a report to the council.

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