Written answers
Tuesday, 1 June 2004
Department of Education and Science
Special Educational Needs
9:00 pm
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he has given consideration to a proposal to require his Department appointing special needs assistants to various schools in the country, as against the current situation which requires his Department to appoint special needs assistants to designated children in the primary school sector; if he has given further consideration to this policy position; the implications of such a shift in policy; if, in the context of the recent announcement to extend and increase the number of special needs assistants in national schools, he will make a statement concerning when such assistants will become available and the schools that are likely to benefit from such an announcement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16479/04]
Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my recent announcement concerning an increase in staffing resources in the special needs sector related to 350 additional teaching posts. The transitional arrangements for the introduction of a new weighted model of allocation of such posts are being finalised and all schools will be notified of the revised arrangements as soon as possible.
My Department allocates special needs assistant, SNA, support on the basis of the assessed care needs of individual pupils. There are no proposals to depart from this arrangement for the present. However, the process for the allocation of SNAs will be kept under review.
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