John Perry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason her Department has handed over responsibility for the decision regarding granting of extra resources for special needs to the Special Needs Council which appears to be interpreting the rules differently from county to county; if her attention has been drawn to the circumstances outlined in correspondence (details supplied); if she will intervene with all parties involved to ensure that the pupils have the support they are entitled to put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32241/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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With effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has taken 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 under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, 2004. 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.

Prior to the establishment of the NCSE the processing of applications from schools for special educational needs resources was centralised in my Department. Now, special educational needs organisers (SENOs), who are locally based officials of the NCSE, process these applications and act as a focal point of contact for parents and schools in relation to the education of children with special educational needs. In my view, this is a welcome improvement in the service available to schools, parents and pupils with special needs.

I have asked the NCSE to investigate the matters referred to in the details supplied by the Deputy and the NCSE will advise the Deputy of the outcome directly.