Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of part-time special needs assistants in schools here. [40727/06]

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of full-time permanent special needs assistants in schools here. [40728/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 together.

The number of part time Special Need Assistants currently employed in Primary, Voluntary Secondary and Community and Comprehensive schools and paid on my Department's centralised payroll system is 1,850.

The number of full time Special Need Assistants currently employed in Primary, Voluntary Secondary and Community and Comprehensive schools and paid on my Department's centralised payroll system is 6,623.

Special need assistants allocated to Vocational Education Committees are employed and paid by the individual committees. There are 511 whole time equivalent special need assistant posts currently allocated to Vocational Education Committes.