Liam Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 588: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the additional posts in primary schools for resource teaching hours, special needs assistants will be approved for persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23562/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will 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, SEN, supports.

A total of 71 special educational needs organisers, SENOs, have been recruited throughout the country and are a focal point of contact for schools and parents. My officials have been advised by the NCSE that no formal application for special educational needs supports has been received from the school authorities for the pupils referred to by the Deputy. However, the local SENO is familiar with the pupils in question and is of the opinion that both pupils fall within the high incidence disability categories and their needs, therefore, can be catered for from within the school's general teaching allocation.

The general allocation for the school in question is 12.5 part-time hours. It is a matter for each school to determine the pupils with high incidence special education and learning support needs that will receive this support. Each school will have enough resource teaching hours to provide its pupils with a level of support appropriate to their needs. The school can then use its professional judgment to decide how these hours are divided between different children in the school, to ensure that all their needs are met. Research shows that some children with special needs will respond better with one to one tuition. Others, however, 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 point is that the type of response needed depends on the child.