Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 275: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties experienced by students with special needs; and the new measures she proposes to introduce to create a system whereby a pupil's special needs supports will be seamless throughout their school life. [14594/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The proposed new general allocation system of resource teaching provision. In view of the fact that pupils in the high incidence disability categories of mild and borderline mild general learning disability and dyslexia are distributed throughout the education system, my Department, in consultation with educational interests, developed a general model of resource teacher allocation to schools to support students in these disability categories.

This model, which was announced by my predecessor in 2004 to come into effect from September 2005, was designed to put in place a permanent resource in primary schools to cater for pupils in these categories. I have made it clear that while I am in favour of using a general allocation model for the reasons I have just given, I am conscious of the particular difficulties that the model announced last year could cause for small and rural schools if implemented as originally announced.

For this reason, I asked my Department to conduct a review of the model announced last year. In carrying out the review, my Department consulted representative interests including the National Council for Special Education. The revised procedure for providing a general allocation of resource hours to schools will be announced shortly, in time to be implemented for the next school year. In relation to resources for children in the lower incidence disability categories, resources will continue to be allocated on the basis of individual applications.

My Department has given priority to implementing the core legislative and structural measures required to underpin service development and delivery for pupils with special needs. The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 has been enacted, while on the structural front, the National Council for Special Education has been established as an independent statutory body with responsibilities as set out in the National Council for Special Education (Establishment) Order 2003. The establishment of the NCSE is a further major step in ensuring that the requirements of children with special educational needs are identified and the necessary resources put in place in a timely and effective manner.

There are 71 special education needs organisers employed by the council since September 2004 who have been deployed on a nationwide basis, with at least one SENO being deployed in each county. Each SENO is responsible for the primary and second level schools in their area and they have made contact with each of their schools and informed them of their role.

In addition to processing requests for resources, the council will co-ordinate the provision of education and related support services with health boards, schools and other relevant bodies. Placing organisers in the locality will enable them to work with the parents and the schools, particularly to co-ordinate the services on a local level. That will ensure that when a child has been identified as having a special need, the services can be put in place immediately. These developments represent significant progress and I am confident they will have a positive impact on services for children with special educational needs.

I can assure the Deputy that the issue of providing adequate resources to meet the needs of children with special educational needs will continue to be a priority for me. In this regard, my Department is continuing to take steps to develop 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.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if an application has been received for the appointment of three special needs assistants for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if so, if these positions will be approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14595/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has no record of receiving an application for three special needs assistants at the school referred to by the Deputy. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently, and which has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports. So far, 71 special educational needs organisers have been recruited throughout the country and will be a focal point of contact for schools and parents. It is open to the school to submit any application to the local SENO.

The school currently has two full-time SNA posts together with 12.5 part time hours SNA support. My Department recently reviewed the extent of SNA provision in the school as part of its ongoing review of SNA provision in primary schools nationally. The review concluded that two full time SNA posts are sufficient to meet the care needs of the pupils requiring this service. This decision was conveyed to the school in April 2005. The school was advised that it may retain the surplus capacity until the end of the current school year.