Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 241: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has concluded her examination of the National Council for Special Education implementation report in regard to the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004. [31584/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was required by the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 to provide a report on the Implementation of the Act. This report is, essentially, advice to the Minister for Education and Science, regarding the steps the Council considers necessary to implement EPSEN, within a period not greater than five years from the starting date of the Council. The Council's report also signalled the broad range of issues, and areas where discussion needs to take place in advance of implementation.

My Department has completed its examination of the report and steps have been taken by in regard to many of the issues raised in the report. A series of consultations have been held with the education partners, including school management bodies, teachers' unions and parent representative bodies, at which a range of issues were explored in the context of delivering the provisions of the Act. Arising from this process, my Department is developing proposals for the implementation of the Act and it is hoped to complete this work shortly.