Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 274: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath will be approved immediately for a special needs assistant from September 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16615/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm for the Deputy that a special needs assistant was sanctioned by my Department to be shared between the pupil in question and one other pupil in the school. This decision was conveyed to the school authorities on 11 March 2005.

The Deputy may be aware that 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. The NCSE, through the local special educational needs organiser, SENO, will also review the level of support in schools in the context of pupils' ongoing needs. This will ensure that each school has the level of resources required to cater for its pupils with special educational needs. With regard to the pupil referred to by the Deputy, the school may wish to liaise with the local SENO concerning the pupil's requirement for special needs assistant support for the coming school year.

I am anxious to ensure that special education support services are properly targeted at the children who require them and that the substantially increased resources which are being made available in the special educational area have the desired effect of ensuring that all children assessed as having special needs receive the support they require.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 275: To ask the Minister for Education and Science, further to Question No. 479 of 4 May 2005, the way in which the post-primary needs of a person (details supplied) will be met. [16616/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has been established as an independent statutory body with responsibilities as set out in the National Council for Special Education (Establishment) Order 2003.

With effect from 1 January 2005, the NCSE through local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is responsible for processing resource applications for children with special educational needs and identifying appropriate educational settings for individual children with special educational needs.

The NCSE has confirmed to my Department that SENOs have been assigned to the area in question and may be contacted for assistance in this matter.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 276: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of counties which have not had an SENO appointed yet; and when this will be rectified. [16617/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has appointed 71 special educational needs organisers, SENOs, who are based throughout the country to carry out the council's functions at local level.

At this stage only one county does not yet have a SENO appointed to it. Arrangements have been put in place by the NCSE which ensures that any applications from schools in this county are processed by the existing SENOs. The Deputy's county, County Kildare, has a SENO appointed to it.