Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the proposals she has to ease the transfer from primary to post-primary school of children with special learning needs; if she will ensure that the supports and resources that were deemed necessary for each of these children are provided on entry to the post-primary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5071/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education, through the 75 local special educational needs organisers, known as SENOs, is responsible for processing applications from primary and post-primary schools for special needs supports. These supports include resource teaching hours and SNA support for pupils with low-incidence special needs and assistive technology or equipment for pupils in either high- or low-incidence special educational needs categories. In this way pressing needs in the area of special needs supports in schools are identified early and acted upon quickly.

The SENO is a focal point of contact for parents and schools. It is open to a parent to contact the local SENO directly regarding a child's special educational needs. Contact details for the SENO may be accessed on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.

There has been enormous progress made over the past number of years in relation to increasing the number of teachers in our schools who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs. At primary level, there are now over 5,500 teachers in our primary schools working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. At second level, over 2,300 whole time equivalent additional teachers are in place to support pupils with special educational needs with 534 of these being learning support teachers. In addition, there are in excess of 8,200 special needs assistants (SNAs) in our primary and post primary schools.