John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 1276: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if extra resource hours and a personal assistant will be approved immediately in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will expedite a decision. [28789/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been operational since 1st January 2005, and is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs (SEN) supports through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs).

I can confirm that an application for SEN support was received for the pupil in question by the local SENO. However, the application was refused in May 2006 on the basis that it did not meet my Department's criteria for such support.

The NCSE will review decisions previously taken in relation to such cases on foot of a request from the school or parents/guardians, when accompanied by relevant additional information, which may not have been to hand at the time of the decision. The NCSE has outlined this process in its Circular 01/05 which issued to all primary schools.