Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 460: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a suitable assessment will be arranged for a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27858/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are two types of assessment which could arise under my Department's remit in a case of this nature — an assessment by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), or an assessment of needs by the National Council for Special Education. The school attended by the pupil in question has an assigned NEPS psychologist. I understand that the school principal has already discussed the pupil's needs with the NEPS psychologist on a number of occasions. The principal has not requested a formal psychological assessment by NEPS. This was not considered necessary as previous psychological reports were already to hand. The NEPS psychologist remains available to advise the school further in regard to managing behaviour within the school.

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 2005.

Since 1 January 2005 the NCSE through local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is responsible for processing resource applications for children with special educational needs. Where a pupil with special educational needs is enrolled in a post-primary school, it is open to the school to apply to the local SENO for additional teaching support and-or special needs assistant support for the pupil.