Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 317: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will respond to a query from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7481/08]

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 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 regarding the reference to special needs assistant support for the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The NCSE has confirmed that the SENO has not received a request for such support from the school. 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.