Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the budgeted cost of the current special needs assistant audit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6387/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I have assumed that the Deputy is referring to the Value for Money and Policy Review of the Special Needs Assistant scheme being undertaken by my Department. The Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative is part of a framework introduced to secure improved value for money from public expenditure. The objectives of the review are to analyse Exchequer spending in a systematic manner and to provide a basis on which more informed policy decisions can be made. It is one of a range of modernisation initiatives aimed at moving public sector management away from the traditional focus on inputs to concentrate on the achievement of outcomes. To support the overall process, the review will include engagement with parent representatives, schools, education partners and other representative groups.

There was no predetermined budgetary cost for this review as cost is dependent on many elements such as the location of the schools to be reviewed, the number of visits per school and the number of meetings which will be required to complete the review and write up the report. The review is being carried out by officials within my Department as well as officials from the Department of Finance and the National Council for Special Education.

A Quality Analyst has been engaged to support the process as stipulated in Department of Finance guidelines in carrying out such reviews. This person has been engaged on a fixed-price basis of €4,185 excluding VAT. My Department is in the process of recruiting an external researcher to the review and discussions are ongoing in relation to a number of issues for this contract. It is expected that the review will be completed by the end of 2009.