Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 22 together.

The National Council for Special Education is responsible for allocating special needs assistants to schools to support children with special educational needs. The council operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of such supports and within the staffing resources available to my Department. All schools, including the schools referred to in Questions Nos. 7 and 22, were advised to apply to the council for special needs support for the 2012-13 school year by 16 March 2012. In considering applications for special needs support for the new school year, the National Council for Special Education will take account of the individual care needs of all qualifying children, the supports freed up by school leavers, if any, and the identified care needs of newly enrolled children with special educational needs. A review of special needs support at the schools referred to by the Deputies will take place in the coming weeks. Schools will be advised by the council of their special needs assistant allocation for the 2012-13 school year by June of this year. The council is developing an appeals process which is intended to be in place for the 2012-13 school year allocations process.

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