Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 546: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow has been advised by her Department to apply for training grants only to be refused on two occasions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9300/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The position is that my Department supports the training and professional development of staff working with children with special education needs through the special edcation support service, SESS. This service, as appropriate, consolidates, co-ordinates, develops and delivers a range of professional development initiatives and support structures for school personnel working with students with special educational needs in a variety of educational settings. These settings include mainstream primary and post-primary schools, special schools and special classes. Generally this support is provided by direct training input or sanction for school staff to attend courses recognised and funded through the SESS.

I understand that the school in question has developed a behaviour management unit and has applied to the SESS to fund the salary costs of two people working in this unit. I should point out, however, that it is not within the remit of the SESS to fund salary costs nor would it be considered appropriate to accede to a request to fund private training undertaken by a school, which had not in the first instance sought either assistance or approval from the SESS or the Department of Education and Science for this course of action.

My Department has, however, discussed with the SESS the training needs of the school in question and the SESS will be in contact with the school to examine further its requirements within the operating framework developed by the support service.