Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; if this will be sanctioned; if he will notify this Deputy the position in relation to same. [33610/06]

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, such as: learning support/remedial and resource teaching support; special needs assistant support; funding for the purchase of specialised equipment.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been established as an independent statutory body with responsibilities as set out in the National Council for Special Education Act, 2005. With effect from 1 January 2005, the NCSE through local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing resource applications for children with special educational needs.

Where a pupil with special educational needs enrols in a post primary school, it is open to the school to apply to the local SENO for additional teaching support and/or special needs assistant support for the pupil.

My officials have been advised by the NCSE that the application for special educational needs support for the pupil was received. However, the pupil in question did not meet the criteria for allocation of additional resources. A decision on the application was issued to the school in June 2006.

As the NCSE has been established as an independent statutory body with responsibilities as set out in the National Council for Special Education Act, 2005, it would not be appropriate to intervene.