Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 911: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the additional staffing resources which have been introduced into primary and post-primary schools in the past five years to take account of the special educational needs of students attending them. [15416/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Enormous progress has been made in recent years on increasing the number of teachers in our schools who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs. At primary level there are now approximately 5,000 teachers in our primary schools working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. This compares with approximately 2,500 in 2001, an increase of approximately 2,500 posts. One out of every five primary school teachers is now working specifically with children with special needs. In addition, there are more than 1,000 teachers in special schools and in the region of 600 teachers in special classes attached to mainstream primary schools.

At second level, approximately 2,186 whole-time equivalent additional teachers are in place to support pupils with special educational needs and those with learning support needs. This compares with approximately 1,115 whole-time equivalent teachers who were in place in the 2001-02 school year for such pupils.

Significant progress has also been made on increasing the number of SNAs in our schools who specifically cater for the care needs of children with special educational needs. There are more than 7,300 whole-time equivalent SNAs in primary and second level schools supporting children with special needs compared with approximately 2,500 at primary level and 292 whole-time equivalent SNAs at second level in 2001.

With effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education — NCSE — has taken over key functions from my Department regarding 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. Its responsibilities include deciding on applications for additional teaching support in respect of children with disabilities with special educational needs at second level and deciding on applications for special needs assistant — SNA — hours.

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.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 912: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the additional staffing resources which have been introduced into Youthreach centres in the past five years to take account of the special educational needs of students attending them. [15417/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 913: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her Department's estimate of the level of special educational needs or disability among students attending Youthreach centres. [15418/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 914: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the resources available to students with special educational needs or disabilities attending Youthreach centres for education. [15419/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 915: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the National Council for Special Education provides a service to students with disabilities under the age of 18 years attending Youthreach centres; and, if not, the reason for same. [15420/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 916: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a student under the age of 18 years who has been diagnosed as having a disability and as a result has been deemed entitled to additional teaching or other supports while in school will retain these supports if they leave school and transfer to a Youthreach centre; and if not, the reason for same. [15421/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 912 to 916, inclusive, together.

Youthreach provides two years' integrated education, training and work experience to young people aged 15 to 20 years who are at least six months in the labour market and have left school early without any qualifications or vocational training. The programme provides a strong emphasis on personal development, the core skills of literacy-numeracy, communications and information technology. Staffing levels in Youthreach centres have remained constant in the past five years. Annual reports on students attending Youthreach centres point up significant proportions of learners who have literacy and numeracy deficits. The task force on student behaviour recognised that Youthreach centres are catering for many students who presented with emotional and-or behavioural difficulties while in school.

It is my Department's policy to seek to encourage and facilitate the participation of people with disabilities on programmes offered in the further education sector. Generally, issues of access for individuals to further education programmes are addressed at local level. Where a student with special needs is admitted to a Youthreach centre, educational supports, equipment and training, as appropriate, are provided in the centre in accordance with the learning aims and objectives of the programme. My Department has provided €500,000 for a national programme for staff training. This training will allow staff, as a team, to identify and respond to the special needs of their learners on an individual basis. The focus of this training is on individual assessment, programme planning, student mentoring and inter-agency work. This inter-agency work involves collaboration between centres, other statutory agencies and community-based services, for example, the Health Service Executive, probation service, addiction services, etc.

In 2005 special grants of €1.5 million were provided by my Department to vocational education committees to upgrade services through the purchase of equipment and materials, or refurbishment or minor structural works or materials to enhance the provision for students with disabilities. With effect from 1 January 2005 the National Council for Special Education — NCSE — took over key functions from my Department in relation to special educational provision. The NCSE was formally established as an independent statutory body on 1 October 2005 and acts under the broad policy direction of my Department. The council does not at present provide a service to students with special needs in Youthreach centres but it is expected that such a service will be available when all the provisions of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 are fully implemented. The needs of these students attending Youthreach centres are under active consideration.