Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 270: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will give consideration to the appointment of a resource teacher to Clonpriest national school in Youghal, County Cork, with regard to the revisions of the process-criteria so as to enable a pupil to receive learning support. [3896/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The school referred to by the Deputy has the services of a full-time and part-time resource teacher together with a shared learning support teacher. My Department has received a further application for special educational resources, SER, from the school.

SER applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003, including the one made by this school, are being considered at present. In all, more than 5,000 such applications were received. Priority was given to cases involving children starting school last September and all these cases were responded to at or before the commencement of the current school year.

The balance of more than 4,000 applications has been reviewed by a dedicated team comprising members of my Department's inspectorate and the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS. These applications are being further considered in the context of the outcome of surveys of SER provision conducted over the past year or so. Account is also being taken of the data submitted by schools as part of the recent nation-wide census of SER provision.

The processing of the applications is a complex and time-consuming operation. However, my Department is endeavouring to have this completed as quickly as possible and my officials will then respond to all applicant schools. Pending a response, schools are advised to refer to circular 24/03, which issued in September 2003. This circular contains practical advice on how to achieve the most effective deployment of resources already allocated for special educational needs within the school.