Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she intends to expand the role of the special educational needs organiser beyond organising educational supports to one of evaluating the application of those supports; if, in the absence of such plans, she will consider such an expansion of the special educational needs organiser's role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7594/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, became operational with effect from 1 January 2005. The functions of the NCSE, as set out in the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 are: to disseminate to schools, parents and such other persons as the council considers appropriate information relating to best practice, nationally and internationally, concerning the education of children with special educational needs; in consultation with schools, health boards and such other persons as the council considers appropriate, to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs; in consultation with schools and such persons as the council considers appropriate, to plan for the integration of education for students with special educational needs with education for students generally; to make available to the parents of children with special educational needs information in regard to their entitlements and the entitlements of their children; to ensure the progress of students with special educational needs is monitored and that it is reviewed at regular intervals; to assess and review the resources required in regard to educational provision for children with special educational needs; to ensure a continuum of special educational provision is available as required in regard to each type of disability; to review generally the provision made for adults with disabilities to avail of higher education and adult and continuing education, rehabilitation and training, and to publish reports on the results of such reviews, which may include recommendations as to the manner in which such provision could be improved; to advise all educational institutions concerning best practice in respect of the education of adults who have disabilities; to advise the Minister in regard to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities; to consult with such voluntary bodies as the council considers appropriate, being bodies whose objects relate to the promotion of the interests of, or the provision of support services to, persons with disabilities, for the purposes of ensuring their knowledge and expertise can inform the development of policy by the council and the planning and provision of support services; and to conduct and commission research on matters relevant to the functions of the council and, as it considers appropriate, to publish in such form and manner as the council thinks fit the findings arising out of such research.

More than 70 special educational needs organisers, SENOs, have been employed by the council since September 2004. They have been deployed on a nationwide basis, with at least one SENO being deployed in each county. The role of the SENO is as provided for in the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. While many sections of the Act have already commenced, the remaining sections relate mainly to the statutory assessment and education plan process for which the Act provides. These cannot come into effect without the NCSE having an opportunity to present an implementation report to my Department, which it must do before 1 October 2006. The council is currently engaged in a consultative process with a view to the submission of the implementation report.