Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will report on the extent of special education supports provided at primary level for pupils with autism; her views on whether two and a half hours per week of special education supports is adequate for a pupil with autism; if there is scope for a pupil with autism to access supports additional to two and a half hours per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8232/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Every effort is made to ensure that children with special educational needs receive an education appropriate to their needs. Decisions regarding the most appropriate model of response in each particular case are based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual child.

Current provision for pupils with autism include: the creation of 141 special classes for children with autism attached to special schools and mainstream schools; the establishment of ten pre-school classes for children with autism; the funding of eight autism facilities, some of which are providing an applied behavioural analysis model of response to children with autism; and the creation of five special classes for children with Asperger's syndrome.

All such classes operate at a pupil-teacher ratio of 6:1 with the support of a minimum of two special needs assistants. The level of resource teaching support provided to pupils with autism attending mainstream primary schools is based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual child. In general, such pupils would be eligible for five hours resource teaching support. In addition, my Department may sanction home tuition grants for children with autism for whom a home based applied behavioural analysis programme is considered appropriate or in cases where such children are awaiting an appropriate school placement.

The Deputy will be aware that with effect from 1 January 2005 the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has taken over responsibility for processing resource applications for children with disabilities who have special educational needs and in particular it is responsible for the following: deciding on applications for resource teaching hours in respect of children with low incidence disabilities with special educational needs at primary level; deciding on applications for additional teaching support in respect of children with disabilities with special educational needs at second level; and deciding on applications for special needs assistant, SNA, hours.

Under the new arrangements the council, through the local special educational needs organiser, SENO, will process the relevant application for resources and inform the school of the outcome. It is important to note that in the case of decisions on resource teaching and SNAs the SENO will outline the process to the school and parents where appropriate and will, at the end of the process, outline the basis upon which the decision was made. I am confident that the advent of the NCSE will prove of major benefit in ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those in the area referred to by the Deputy, receive the support they require when and where they require it.

My Department has recently issued a circular and letter advising the authorities of primary and post-primary schools respectively of the arrangements put in place as a result of the transfer of these functions to the NCSE. My Department is continuing to prioritise the development of the network of special educational provision for children with special needs and I believe that the steps taken in recent years and those currently in hand represent significant progress in the development of those services.