Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 414: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to establish a secondary school for autistic children in Dublin (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26038/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for the establishment of special classes for autism and for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. In excess of 270 autism-specific classes at primary and post primary level have now been approved around the country, 90 of which are in special schools. The Deputy should be aware that special schools cater for students up to 18 years of age. The NCSE will continue to establish additional autism classes where the need arises in both special schools and mainstream post-primary schools.

All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 415: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the plans she has made to reinstate the one-to-one teaching support which was previously supplied to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26039/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware the general allocation model was introduced in May 2005 and became operational in schools from September 2005. The general allocation is intended to cater for pupils with higher incidence special educational needs, that is, pupils with borderline mild and mild general learning disability and specific learning disability. The allocation is also intended to support those with learning support needs.

The general allocation system means that rather than schools having to make individual applications to this Department for resources for such pupils, resources are provided in advance to the school. The school attended by the pupil referred to by the Deputy has been allocated 1.64 teaching posts (1 full-time post and 15 hours) to provide for the educational needs of the pupils with high incidence special needs and learning support needs. The school can use its professional judgement to decide how these hours are divided among the pupils in the school, to ensure that all their needs are met. Research shows that some pupils with special needs will respond better with one-to-one tuition. Others, however, do better when taught in small groups. Often it is best for resource/learning support teachers to work with pupils in the classroom rather than taking them away to a separate room, as the pupils then have to catch up on work done by the rest of the class in their absence.

My Department issued a comprehensive circular, SP ED 02/05 to schools which provides guidelines on the manner in which they should use the resources that have been allocated to them to best effect.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of special needs assistants employed in secondary schools in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26040/07]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of special needs assistants employed in primary schools in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26041/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 416 and 417 together.

There are currently 2,449 Special Needs Assistants (whole time equivalents) employed in schools in Dublin. The break-down by sector is as follows:—

Primary 2,020

Post-primary (including VECs) 429

It is not possible to give a breakdown of the SNA numbers employed in specific geographical areas of Dublin.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 418: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children awaiting places in special needs schools in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26043/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is not retained by my Department. The Deputy may also be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been operational since 1st January 2005, and is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports from primary and post primary schools through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs). The SENO is also a focal point of contact for parents and schools. One of the specific functions of the SENO is to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs. Parents should also contact schools directly in the context of enrolling their children.

The SENOs are appointed to districts which include primary and post primary schools and their role includes planning for transition to post primary schools within this local environment. The approach taken is outlined in the guidelines which the NCSE issued to schools in March 2007 and which are available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie. It is open to parents to contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on the NCSE's website.