Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 462: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of special needs assistants estimated to be working in schools; if he will provide a breakdown of this number by primary and post-primary sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41371/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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There were 8,582 Special Needs Assistant posts in the primary sector and 2,014 in the post primary sector at the end of the 2008/2009 school year. 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.