Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 211: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will ensure that a school (details supplied) will receive full recognition and funding; and if these children and staff might be integrated into the new school facility for children in the autistic spectrum at another school. [33181/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The first facility referred to by the Deputy is not a recognised school. Some of the children involved are in receipt of home tuition arrangements. Places are available in recognised school provision for those children who are of school-going age. Arrangements can be made to transition the children to these places.

With regard to the Deputy's reference to the second school, I wish to advise him that my Department has granted temporary recognition for a special school to open in the facility in question from 1st September 2007. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the school management has indicated that it may be possible to make provision available to the children currently enrolled in the first mentioned facility subject to them meeting the enrolment criteria. The employment of school staff is a matter for the Board of Management of the school.

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.

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.