Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 481: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a special needs assistant and access to an individual education plan, IEP, programme will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7163/09]

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 (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 and where there are identified care needs arising from a diagnosed disability. A pupil's level of care may diminish over time as the child matures. Pupils may move to a different school or on to post-primary school. In such situations, the NCSE will review and adjust the SNA support required in the school.

The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. I have arranged for the details provided by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for consideration and direct reply. The Deputy will also be aware that the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 makes provision for an education plan for each individual pupil with special educational needs, and this will become mandatory when the relevant sections of the Act are commenced. In preparation for this, the NCSE have published guidelines on the Individual Education Plan process and a copy issued to all primary and post primary schools at the commencement of the 2006/2007 school year. These guidelines provide advice and assistance to schools, teachers and parents on devising and implementing individual education plans. It is the NCSE's intention that these guidelines will provide a benchmark for best practice pending the implementation of the Act and that schools will use these guidelines to draw up school policies and procedures in relation to individual education plans in advance of the mandatory requirement for them to do so.

My Department encourages parents and school authorities to engage locally regarding pupils' education. In addition, schools and parents can contact their local SENO directly to discuss a pupil's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.