Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 1224: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason the special needs assistance hours allocated are being cut from full time to minimum hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28172/06]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 1225: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position of resource hours being allocated to pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28173/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1224 and 1225 together.

Special needs assistant (SNA) support is provided specifically to address the care needs of pupils with special educational needs. The nature and level of support provided is based on the assessed needs of the individual child having regard to the criteria set out in my Department's circulars.

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs (SEN) supports from primary and post primary schools. The teaching and SNA support allocated are intended to enable schools to meet the needs of pupils as outlined in psychological and other professional reports. In allocating SEN supports for individual pupils, the SENOs examine the teaching and other resources available within the individual schools. The SENO also operates within the parameters of my Department's criteria for the allocation of such resources.

While these parameters have not changed recently, the level of SNA support in schools is kept under review by SENOs. In cases where the pupils for whom such support had been sanctioned mature and develop independent coping skills the level of SNA support may be reduced accordingly.

As the Deputy is aware, a general allocation scheme was introduced in September 2005 under which mainstream primary schools have been provided with resource teaching hours, based on enrolment figures, to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs, such as dyslexia, and those with learning support needs. In addition to this allocation, schools may receive extra resource teaching hours in respect of pupils with low-incidence special educational needs.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 1226: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the proposal to recognise officially Irish sign language for all deaf citizens here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28225/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that Irish Sign Language (ISL) has formal recognition in the Education Act, 1998. Under the Act, it is a function of the Minister for Education and Science to ensure, subject to the provisions of the Act, that there is made available to each person resident in the State, including a person with a disability or who has other special educational needs, support services and a level and quality of education appropriate to meeting the needs and abilities of that person. This includes provision for students learning through ISL.

A number of initiatives which seek to promote, develop and implement ISL in order that it will achieve greater recognition and use in the education system are currently in place. These include:

the special schools for the deaf in Cabra (Dublin) have been encouraged in relation to the use of sign language in class.

funding is available for training of teachers in ISL.

my Department has provided funding for an ISL weekly home tuition service whereby deaf tutors visit the homes of deaf pre-school children and deaf school-going pupils to provide training in ISL for the deaf children/pupils, their siblings and parents.

my Department has sanctioned a pre-school for deaf children on a pilot basis.

my Department through the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has established and fully funds a Centre for Deaf Studies in Trinity College, Dublin which provides diploma courses for ISL/English interpreters, deaf tutors and in deaf studies. The course modules deal with issues such as sign linguistics, bilingualism and socio-linguistics of sign language. The course is delivered in seminar sessions/group work and the award of the diploma is based on continued assessment and a project and course design.