Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if it is intended to maintain or increase the number of special needs assistants and teachers here in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12355/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the number of special needs assistants are expected to be maintained in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12357/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 218 and 220 together.

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 educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. There has been no change in the criteria governing the allocation of teaching and/or care resources to pupils with special educational needs.

There has been unprecedented investment in providing supports for pupils with special needs in recent years. There are now about 19,000 adults in our schools working solely with pupils with special needs. This includes over 10,000 SNAs — compared with just 300 in 1997. There are over 8,000 resource and learning support teachers in our schools compared with just 2,000 in 1998. Over 1,000 other teachers support pupils in our special schools.

The Deputy will also be aware that a Value for Money and Policy Review of the Special Needs Assistant scheme is currently being undertaken by my Department. The objectives of a Value for Money and Policy Review are to analyse Exchequer spending in a systematic manner and to provide a basis on which more informed policy decisions can be made. The review is ongoing and to support the overall process it will include engagement with parent representatives, schools, education partners and other representative groups. It is expected that the review will be completed by the end of 2009.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if adequate provision has been made to maintain home tuition adequately in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12356/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that there has been unprecedented investment in providing supports for pupils with special needs in recent years. As well as the significant increase in the numbers of additional teachers and SNAs directly providing appropriate education and care supports for children with special educational needs, much investment has taken place in the provision of transport, specialist school accommodation, home tuition, assistive technology and equipment.

I want to take this opportunity to emphasise that priority will continue to be given to provision for children with special educational needs. Along with all other areas of expenditure, provision will be subject to ongoing review in the context of expenditure management.