Cecilia Keaveney (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to a special needs assistant application for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36118/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware 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. My officials have been advised by the NCSE that no application for special needs assistance support for the pupil referred to by the Deputy has been made to the SENO. It is open to the school to contact the SENO directly regarding any special education needs that the pupil may have.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the increase announced in the education budget in the 2006 Estimates on 17 November 2005 a school (details supplied) in County Mayo and schools in the surrounding areas, will benefit from this increase; if spending in areas such as special needs assistance will be increased in order to reinstate special needs assistants who have already lost their jobs where cutbacks have occurred; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36127/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm that there are now over 5,000 teachers in our primary schools working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. This compares with fewer than 1,500 in 1998. Indeed, one out of every five primary school teachers is now working specifically with children with special needs.

I can also confirm that there have been no cutbacks in the allocation of special needs assistants, SNAs, to schools and any SNA posts that have been terminated have been terminated as a result of the pupils for whom such support was originally granted no longer requiring such support. In fact the number of SNAs in our schools increased significantly in 2005 and there are now over 6,000 SNAs in the primary school system compared to some 300 in 1998.

I can confirm that I will continue to prioritise the issue of special needs education and, in co-operation with the National Council for Special Education and the education partners, ensure that all children with special needs are adequately resourced to enable them to meet their full potential.