Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 438: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if consideration will be given to sanctioning an extra five hours a week to a special needs assistant at a school (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26781/04]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department received additional documentation in support of the application referred to by the Deputy on 22 October. This will be reviewed by the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, as quickly as possible.

The Deputy may be aware that my Department has established a team to review special needs assistant support in mainstream schools generally. The team commenced its task recently. The team is assessing the levels and deployment of such support to ensure that the needs of children are being met in the context of new applications for resources for the school.

I am making arrangements to have this review expedited with a view to having a response issued to Carrigaholt national school at the earliest date.

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 439: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if consideration will be given to sanctioning an extra five hours a week to a special needs assistant at a school (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26782/04]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I can confirm that an application for an increase in the level of special needs assistant, SNA, support from part-time to full-time has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy. The application is currently being considered and a response will be conveyed to the school at the earliest possible date.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 440: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is not receiving the resource teacher hours as recommended by NEPS; and the action which will be taken. [26783/04]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The application for resource teaching support received from the school on behalf of the pupil in question was reviewed by the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS.

The outcome of this review was that the needs of this pupil should be catered for under the proposed new system of resource teaching allocation. This pupil's special educational needs, SEN, are in the high incidence disability category and it would be expected that pupils within this category would have their SEN met from within the resource-learning support teaching allocation available to the school. The school authorities were advised of this decision on 23 September 2004. The school had confirmed that the pupil is currently receiving adequate learning support teaching.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 441: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a special needs assistant will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26784/04]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department is considering an application for special needs assistant support to cater for the needs of a number of pupils in the school referred to by the Deputy, including the pupil in question.

My officials have been liaising with my Department's inspectorate regarding the matter and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities at the earliest date.