Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 690: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a minimum of five hours resource teaching per week is granted automatically to every child with Down's syndrome in mainstream primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19861/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Pupils with Down Syndrome are entitled to additional teaching support in school, either under the terms of the general allocation system of teaching supports if the educational psychological assessment places the pupil in the high incidence disability category or through an allocation of additional teaching and/or care support if the child is assessed as being within the low incidence category of special need, as defined by my Department's circular Sp Ed 02/05. The number of additional teaching hours allocated would range from three to five hours per week depending on the pupil's special educational needs including the level of general learning disability. The National Council for Special Education now has responsibility for sanctioning a range of additional teaching and care supports for pupils with special educational needs, including pupils with Down Syndrome and schools requiring such supports should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser.