Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 590: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if an educational service will be funded for a person (details supplied) at Bangor in Wales; and if she will work closely with all relevant Departments in providing top quality education services here for pupils with autism. [23564/05]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 592: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she plans to exercise the powers of her office and approve, with immediate effect, the placement of a person (details supplied) at the autism specific facility at Bangor, Wales; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23572/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 590 and 592 together.

I wish to advise the Deputies that my officials have worked closely with the Health Service Executive, HSE, northern area, to develop an appropriate placement for the person in question. This placement, at the Woodlawn centre in north Dublin, has met with the approval of the High Court and remains available to the person, should his parents be willing to consider sending him there. I believe that the care plan which has been offered by the State, is the best option for this young man, as it will meet the totality of his needs, by providing an integrated educational and health related support service to him on a residential basis.

The Woodlawn centre provides assessment, care, rehabilitation and education for individuals who have both a learning disability and other difficulties such as behavioural problems. An individual education plan will be drawn up to meet the young man's needs and will be delivered by a specialist teacher with the support of the special needs assistant. I understand from the HSE that a person centred plan to provide for his care needs will also be drawn up and will be delivered by the appropriate support staff at Woodlawn. He will also have access to occupational therapy and speech and language therapy.

My officials remain committed to working with the family to ensure a positive outcome. On the quality of autism services available generally, the Deputies are aware that every effort is made to ensure that children with special educational needs, including autism 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 146 special classes for children with autism attached to special schools and mainstream schools have been created; 14 pre-school classes for children with autism have been established; 10 autism facilities, some of which are providing an applied behavioural analysis model of response to children with autism are being funded; and five special classes for children with Asperger's syndrome have been created.

All such classes operate at a pupil teacher ratio of 6:1 with the support of a minimum of 2 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 sanctions home tuition grants for children with autism for whom a home-based applied behavioural analysis, ABA, 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; deciding on applications for special needs assistant, SNA, hours; and processing applications for school placement in respect of children with disabilities with special educational needs.

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 on 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 is continuing to prioritise the development of the network of special educational provision for children with special needs, including those with autism, and I believe that the steps taken in recent years and those currently in hand represent significant progress in the development of those services. It is my intention that my Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Health and Children in developing services for children with autism.