Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 312: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of special needs assistants employed on a full-time and part-time basis. [4953/04]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 318: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the budget allocated to the provision of special needs assistants for the school year June 2002 to June 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4960/04]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 319: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the budget allocated to the provision of special needs assistants for the school year June 2003 to June 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4961/04]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 320: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the budget allocated to the provision of special needs assistants for the school year June 2004 to June 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4962/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 318 to 320, inclusive, together.

There are 4,319 full-time and 1,353 part-time special needs assistants at primary level being paid salary on my Department's payroll. To date, my Department has allocated a total of 461.39 whole-time equivalent special needs assistants at post-primary level. The budget for the provision of special needs assistants is allocated on a financial year basis. I can confirm the allocation for the financial years 2002, 2003 and 2004 as follows:

Primary

2002 €50.416 million

2003 €103.611 million

2004 €119.897 million

Voluntary Secondary

2002 €2.020 million

2003 €2.996 million

2004 €6.657 million

Community and Comprehensive

2002 €1.28 million

2003 €2.1 million

2004 €2.42 million

Vocational Education Committees

2002 €1.12 million

2003 €1.99 million

2004 €2.73 million