David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 750: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will make extra resource teacher hours available to a person (details supplied) in County Cork from September 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19546/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The application for special educational teaching support for the pupil concerned was referred to the local special educational needs organiser, SENO, for determination. The SENO examined the application and expressed the opinion that as the pupil's special educational needs appear to be within the high incidence disability category, her needs will be catered for under the general allocation scheme that I recently announced.

Under the new scheme the pupil's school has been allocated a level of resource teaching hours based on the number of children in the school. These hours are allocated to the school specifically to meet the needs of pupils such as the one referred to by the Deputy. It is up to the school to use its professional judgment to decide how these hours are divided between different pupils to ensure that all their needs are met. Research shows that some children with special needs will respond better with one-to-one tuition while others do better when taught in small groups. Often it is best for resource teachers to work with children in the classroom rather than taking them away to a separate room, as the children then have to catch up work done by the rest of the class in their absence. The type of response needed depends on the child. The school will decide which type of support is best suited to this pupil.

The introduction of the new scheme is being underpinned by the provision of an estimated additional 340 permanent posts in primary schools from September next. A further 320 posts are being provided on a temporary basis to facilitate the transition to the new system. My Department has now issued a letter to all primary schools notifying them of their teaching allocation under the general allocation model for the 2005-06 school year. That letter also includes any details of any clustering arrangements that may apply. It is a matter for the school the pupil is attending to make arrangements to provide teaching support to all pupils who qualify for such support from its general allocation, including this pupil.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 751: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has received a psychological assessment and a referral by an optometrist and a consultant optician with reference to a person (details supplied); if she will make extra resource teacher and learning support available to this person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19547/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, which was established recently and has been operational since 1 January 2005, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs, SEN, supports. My Department officials have been informed by the NCSE that the matter has been referred to the local special educational needs organiser, SENO. The SENO is currently examining whether the pupil referred to by the Deputy is entitled to individual resource teaching support in respect of a low incidence disability. The school authorities will be notified directly of the outcome.