Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has had discussions with the National Council for Special Education on the adequacy of funding to address the needs of children with special learning difficulties at post-primary level; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is concern in schools and from parents that supports are not available to address the needs of many post-primary students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10743/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Officials of the NCSE have met regularly with my Department's officials on a range of matters including issues in relation to post-primary special education. The NCSE recently submitted its Implementation Report to me, which sets out its views and recommendations on a plan for the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, (EPSEN) Act 2004. The report is currently being examined by my Department.

My Department provides a range of supports to second level schools to enable them to cater for students with special educational needs (SEN). The supports include remedial and additional teaching support, special needs assistant support (SNA) and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment.

As the Deputy is aware, 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 SEN. At second level, approximately 1,878 whole time equivalent additional teachers are in place to support pupils with SEN. This compares to approximately 200 teachers that were in place in 1998 for such pupils. In addition, there are 533 whole time equivalent learning support teachers and approximately 1,441 whole time equivalent SNAs in our second level schools.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special needs supports and the SENOs convey decisions on the applications directly to the schools. These supports include resource teaching hours, SNA support and assistive technology and equipment. It is important to note that in the case of decisions on additional teaching and SNA support, the SENO will outline the process to the school and parents, where appropriate, and will at the end of the process outline the basis on which the decision was made.

The precise model of provision made available at second level will depend on the assessed needs of the pupils involved. Some pupils are capable of attending ordinary classes on an integrated basis with additional teacher and/or SNA support. In other cases, placement in special dedicated classes or units attached to the school may be the more appropriate response. Such special classes operate at significantly reduced pupil teacher ratios. Students attached to these special classes may be facilitated in attending ordinary subject classes on an integrated basis wherever possible.

In addition, my Department's Teacher Education Section has developed a strategy designed to meet the continuing professional development needs of personnel working with children with SEN. This involves a major expansion of the range of post-graduate professional training programmes available to teachers in the special needs area and the ongoing development of the Special Education Support Service (SESS) to support schools staff locally.

The NCSE has advised my Department that it has commenced the process of the allocation of resources at post primary level for the 2007/2008 school year and it will be issuing guidelines on this process to the schools shortly. Copies may also be accessed on the NCSE's website within the coming days.