Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 697: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 600 of 19 February 2008; when this matter will be dealt with in view of the fact that four months have passed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23031/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may 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.

My officials have been in contact with the NCSE and I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the pupil in question has been granted 4 hours resource teaching support as well as access to SNA support for the 2008/2009 school year. I understand that the SENO conveyed this decision to the school during the past week.

It is open to parents to contact their local SENO directly regarding their child's special educational needs using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 698: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the date and location by which it is expected to meet the educational needs of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22; the way that this child's needs can be met promptly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23032/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was set up to improve the delivery of education services to persons with special educational needs arising from disabilities with particular emphasis on children. The Council, with its network of up to 80 Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is providing a structure for the delivery of an effective and speedy education service to children and families coping with disability on a daily basis. Working locally on the ground, the SENOs are a focal point of contact for parents and schools.

A specific function of the Council through its network of local SENOs, is to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs. It is open to parents to contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, including issues that arise in relation to suitable educational placements, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

The National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The NEWB can be contacted at National Educational Welfare Board, National Headquarters, 16-22 Green Street, Dublin 7 or by telephone at 01-8738700.

The matter of the enrolment of a pupil in a school including a special school is a matter for the Board of Management of the school and my Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment by schools. Where a school refuses to enrol a pupil, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision to the Secretary General of my Department. Where an appeal under Section 29 is upheld, the Secretary General of my Department may direct a school to enrol a pupil.