Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 422: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will intervene with the Health Service Executive to ensure the provision of a special needs assistant in a school for a child (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21026/09]

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. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. Health staff may make professional reports available to education providers and SENOs. The SENO considers such professional reports when determining the level of additional resources, if any, required by the school to support a pupil.

All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also 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 information provided by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their direct reply.