Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 287: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the assessments required for a person to qualify for a special needs assistant; the person who carries out the assessments; the person who receives a copy of the assessment report. [37590/09]

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 educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The qualifying criteria for the allocation of SNA support is outlined in my Department's Circular 07/02 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

The NCSE has responsibility for deciding on the quantum of resource teaching and/or care supports to be allocated to individual schools to enable them to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs. Assessment reports carried out by relevant professionals are provided by schools to the SENOs as part of the application process for support. The relevant professionals are determined by reference to the disability of the child concerned. The SENO takes professional reports into account along with other relevant factors such as the existing level of SNA support in a school when determining the level of SNA support sanctioned to a school.

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.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 288: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the assessments a special needs child with severe learning disabilities should undergo in relation to their education needs when they are under 16 years of age; the stages at which these assessments should be carried out; the assessments they should undergo in relation to their education needs when they are over 16 years of age; the organisations which carry out the assessments; the person who receives a copy of the assessment report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37592/09]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the assessment that organisations dealing with children with learning disabilities carry out to assess a special needs child's education needs; the person who receives a copy of the assessment report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37594/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 289 together.

The assessment of the education needs of child with learning disabilities or the identification of the disability may involve input from one or more of a range of education and health professionals including education psychologists, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists and other medical or teaching personnel. These professionals may be employed by a number of statutory, state funded or voluntary organisations or operate independently in private practice. The main provider of such services within the education sector is the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and within the health sector through the Local Health Office and/ or Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

Such professionals, where suitably qualified, may in turn apply a range of psychometric tests or diagnostic tools, or form judgements by observation or consultation with education practitioners relating to the nature and severity of a child's learning abilities / disabilities. Within an education setting this process would normally be subject to periodic or ongoing review assessment by the teaching practitioners involved and by the appropriate professionals and services over the course of the child's school life.

While it is difficult to generalise, in the absence of specific detail in relation to an individual, children with severe learning disabilities would normally present with significant needs and undergo medical/psychological assessment prior to entry into the education system. Liaison in relation to special needs provision and/or placement would take place between the NCSE, the parents and HSE services. Under the Disability Act 2005 a child with disabilities is entitled by right to an assessment of need. The NCSE facilitates the provision of relevant education services for the child as part of this process.

In practice a professional assessment report will be provided to the individual for whom it is commissioned or to their parents/guardians. Within the context of parental or individual consent to so do, copies of the report would be furnished to a range of educational or health practitioners to assist the provision of the appropriate intervention, remedial support or therapy.