Liam Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if an application for resource teaching for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be approved in view of the medical evidence submitted in support of their needs. [15592/06]

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 additional teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment. With effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, took over key functions from my Department in 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. 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.

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. 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. My Department has been informed by the NCSE that the case referred to by the Deputy is under review by the SENO.