Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal has been refused a special needs assistant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24357/08]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Donegal has been refused a special needs assistant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24358/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 306 and 307 together.

As the Deputy may be aware, the National Council for Special Education 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. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or to other pupils. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

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. I have arranged for the details supplied by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 308: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the proposals to install an emotional behavioural unit at a school (details supplied) in County Meath in view of the fact that children attending this school have to travel to a neighbouring county to attend a special needs unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24375/08]

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) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The SENOs also establish special classes where a need has been determined. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. 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. I have arranged for the details supplied by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.