Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 499: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a person (details supplied) will be supported. [24623/09]

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 primary and post primary schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

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.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 500: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; if their request will be sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24627/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has considered the correspondence submitted by the school in question appealing the decision to suppress a class for pupils with a mild general learning disability, MGLD, in the school. My Department recently advised the school that the decision to suppress the class remains.

All children with MGLD who are in the class being suppressed will be able to receive teaching support through the teaching resources allocated to primary schools under the general allocation model. Schools decide themselves how best to use this allocation based on the needs of the pupils and how to adjust their support in line with the changing needs of pupils as they mature. My Department provided a circular SP ED 02/05 to schools to assist them in deploying the general allocation model resources.

My Department promotes a continuum of assessment and intervention. These interventions range from support from the classroom teacher and support from the resource / learning support teacher. Where a school considers that these interventions are not meeting the child's needs they should seek the advice of their National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologist. Schools without an assigned NEPS psychologist can avail of the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments. Advice may also be sought from the local special educational needs organiser.