Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 485: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the special needs assistant and resource teacher allocation in each post-primary school in the country with a breakdown between those community schools within the VEC sector and all other schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25179/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested is not readily available in the format required by the Deputy. However, 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 second level schools who are specifically dedicated to providing education for children with special educational needs.

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

At second level, approximately 1,943 whole time equivalent teachers are in place to support pupils with special educational needs. This compares to approximately 200 teachers that were in place in 1998 for such pupils. In addition, there are 561 whole time equivalent learning support teachers and approximately 1,724 whole time equivalent special needs assistants (SNA's) in our second level schools.

The Deputy will also be aware that with effect from 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has taken over key functions from my Department in relation to special educational provision. The NCSE was formally established as an independent statutory body on the 1st October 2005 under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2005. The Council acts under the broad policy direction of the Department of Education and Science but has the resources and the remit to play the leading role in the delivery of education services to children with disabilities/ special needs.

The NCSE co-ordinates with the health services, schools and other relevant bodies regarding the provision of education and related support services to children with disabilities/special needs.

The responsibilities of the NCSE include the following:

Deciding on applications for additional teaching support in respect of children with disabilities with special educational needs at second level;

Deciding on applications for special needs assistant (SNA) hours;

Processing applications for school placement in respect of children with disabilities with special education needs.

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 special needs assistant 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.

The NCSE, through the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) will process the relevant application for resources and inform the school of the outcome. 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.

I am confident that the advent of the NCSE will prove of major benefit in ensuring that all children with special educational needs receive the support they require.