Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 481: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason she is reducing the grant for the ABA supervisor in a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow when this system has been recognised in international research as the best for autistic children in view of the fact that children with autism are entitled to get the best possible chance of this education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12916/06]

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 educational needs through the special educational 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. In general, this support is provided by direct training input or sanction for school staff to attend courses recognised and funded through the SESS.

A sum of €31,000 was provided to the school in question to date. However, the issue of consultancy for special units for children with ASD is now within the remit of the SESS and the school has been advised to contact the SESS in this regard.

I wish to point out that my Department supports an eclectic approach in regard to the education of children with autism where a range of teaching methods are available, for example, treatment and education of autistic and related communication handicapped children, TEACH, applied behavioural analysis, ABA, picture exchange communication system, PECS. In this regard, it should be noted that none of the classes sanctioned to the school referred to by the Deputy to cater for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders are classified by my Department as dedicated ABA classes.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 482: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if adequate resources are being made available for special needs education in secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12925/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides a range of supports to second level school management to enable schools to cater for pupils with special educational needs. The supports in question include remedial and resource teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment.

As the Deputy is aware, there has been enormous progress made in recent years in respect of increasing the number of teachers in our schools who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs.

At second level, approximately 1,653 whole-time equivalent additional teachers are in place to support pupils with special educational needs. This compares to the approximately 200 teachers that were in place in 1998 for such pupils. In addition, there are 532 whole-time equivalent learning support teachers and approximately 1,102 whole-time equivalent special needs assistants, SNAs, in our second level schools.

The precise model of provision made available at second level will depend on the assessed needs of the pupils involved. Some pupils are capable of attending ordinary classes on an integrated basis with additional teacher and/or special needs assistant support. In other cases, placement in special dedicated classes or units attached to the school may be the more appropriate response. Such special classes operate at significantly reduced pupil teacher ratios. Pupils attached to these special classes may be facilitated in attending ordinary subject classes on an integrated basis wherever possible.

With effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has taken over key functions from my Department in respect of special educational provision. The NCSE was formally established as an independent statutory body on 1 October 2005 under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2005. The council acts under the broad policy direction of my Department but has the resources and the remit to play the leading role in the delivery of education services to children with disabilities-special needs.

The NCSE co-ordinates with the health services, schools and other relevant bodies regarding the provision of education and related support services to children with disabilities-special needs.

The responsibilities of the NCSE include the following: 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 education 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 additional teaching and SNA support, 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.

In addition, my Department's teacher education section has developed a strategy designed to meet the continuing professional development needs of personnel working with children with special educational needs. This involves a major expansion of the range of postgraduate professional training programmes available to teachers in the special needs area and the ongoing development of the special education support service, SESS, to support schools staff locally.

My Department will continue to ensure that the necessary resources are made available for the education of children with special needs. I am confident that the advent of the NCSE will prove of major benefit in ensuring that all children with special educational needs receive the support they require, when and where they require it.