Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of staff within her Department whose duties are concerned with the area of special education for secondary school students and prospective secondary school students; if there is no such member of staff, the reason for same; if she has plans or intentions to create such a post; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22170/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides a range of supports to second level schools to enable them to cater for students with special educational needs and this involves a large number of staff.

The supports in question include remedial and resource teaching support, special needs assistant support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment which concerns staff in the National Council for Special Education, Teacher Allocations and the Assistive Technology area. Other sections concerned with the area of special education include Transport, Accommodation, Teacher Education Section, National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), the National Education Welfare Board and the State Exams Commission.

My Department will continue to ensure that the necessary resources are made available for the education of children with special needs.