Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 478: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the effect cuts will have on special needs teaching for the 2009-10 academic year in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 6; if there will be resource or special needs teachers or assistants lost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28138/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Based on the information provided by the school to my Department, the level of learning support teaching in the school in question will not change in the forthcoming school year.

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating additional resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to primary and post primary schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

The NCSE has been requested by my Department to arrange for its SENOs to review SNA allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. The review is currently underway and it is intended that it will be completed during 2009.

SENOs will be in close contact with schools as part of this review process. I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.