Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 342: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a special needs assistant was withdrawn from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 who suffered brain damage at birth, suffers from cerebral palsy, epilepsy and seizures and is in need of speech therapy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5480/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. SNAs are sanctioned to schools specifically to assist in the care of pupils and students with disabilities in an educational context. The SENOs operate within the policy outlined in my Department's circular for allocating such support.

My officials have been in contact with the NCSE and I understand that SNA support has not been withdrawn from the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The pupil currently has access to SNA support in the school on a full time basis. I am also informed that the SENO is reviewing the general SNA allocation in the school and that the parents and school will be notified of the outcome of the review when completed.