Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 472: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the breakdown of the number of personnel involved in delivering special needs education in primary schools including special needs assistants, language support, resource and learning support staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33478/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware of my Department's commitment to ensuring that all children including those with special needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary school network.

The supports available at primary level include over 8,300 Special Needs Assistant posts supporting with children with special care needs, over 5,100 learning support/resource teachers, over 1,100 teachers in special schools in addition to many hundreds of teachers in special classes for children with different disabilities.

In addition, there are currently in excess of 1,500 language support teachers at primary level providing support to approximately 21,000 pupils for whom English is a second language.