Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on correspondence regarding a child (details supplied) in County Kildare with Asperger's syndrome; if he will ensure that a special needs assistant is assigned to this person in view of their particular circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25892/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the National Council for Special Education 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. Applications for special needs assistants 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. 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 contact details of their local SENO. It is also open to parents to 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.