Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a school has difficulties in dealing with the special education needs organiser assigned to them or if the SENO has difficulties with a school, if there is a means for arbitration or a mechanism for the allocation of a different SENO to the school concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6985/08]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the time-frame in which a decision should be made on an application for special needs assistant support; the information that should be given to the school in relation to such a decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6986/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 and 255 together.

The SENOs are deployed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) throughout the State to provide a nationwide service. Each SENO works in an assigned local area with parents, schools, teachers, psychologists, health professionals and other staff who are involved in the provision of services in that area for children with special educational 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. The school in question may wish to contact the NCSE regarding any specific difficulties that may have arisen.

As the Deputy is aware, applications for special needs assistant (SNA) support are made by schools to the local SENO who conveys a decision on the application directly to the schools without recourse to my Department. The SENOs operate within the policy outlined in my Department's circular for allocating such support. Information regarding the resource allocation process, including the timelines involved, is available on the NCSE website, www.ncse.ie.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 256: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when an appeal system will be in place in relation to decisions taken by special education needs organisers, in accordance with the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6987/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In April 2007, I formally established the Special Education Appeals Board (SEAB) under section 36 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 to hear and determine appeals pursuant to a number of sections of the Act. The Board comprises a Chairperson and two ordinary members, each of whom have a special interest in, or knowledge of, education and in particular the education of persons with special educational needs. The Board is continuing to identify the resources and processes it will need to put in place to ensure that it will be ready to fulfil its role once the relevant sections of the Act are commenced.

In the interim, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will undertake to review a decision taken by a special educational needs organiser (SENO) on foot of a request from a school or parents/guardians, when accompanied by relevant additional information, which may not have been to hand at the time of the decision. The NCSE has outlined this process in its Circular 01/05.