Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 676: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if the National Council for Special Education review of special needs assistants has been finalised; if she will provide details of the final outcome of the review; if she will further provide a list of the schools which lost an SNA and a list of the schools which benefited from one or more additional SNA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31187/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South 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 educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

The review of SNA allocations being carried out by the NCSE, through its network of SENOs, is with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. This is an exercise in identifying surplus posts which are in the system and which do not meet the current criteria – posts that have been retained when a pupil's care needs have diminished or where the pupil has left. At the same time, the NCSE is allocating additional posts where the criteria are met. The terms and criteria for the SNA scheme have not changed.

The NCSE published its report on the Review of SNA Allocation to Schools April 2009 – March 2010 on its website www.ncse.ie. A copy is attached for the Deputy's information. A small number of approximately 70 schools remain to be reviewed and the NCSE has indicated that these will be reviewed early in the 2010/11 academic year. A final breakdown of the outcome of the review will be made available by the NCSE when all schools have been reviewed.

I have arranged for the Deputy's request for additional information in the context of the review to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply. I wish to confirm for the Deputy that my Department is very supportive of the SNA scheme. It has been a key factor in both ensuring the successful integration of children with special educational needs into mainstream education and providing support to pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes. The SNA scheme will continue to be supported and the NCSE will continue to support schools, parents, children and teachers by allocating resources to schools in line with my department's policy.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 677: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of appeals received by the National Council for Special Education to date in 2010 regarding the withdrawal of special needs assistant positions from schools; the number of appeals processed to date in 2010; if any appeals have been upheld; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31188/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South 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 educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

The Deputy will also be aware that the NCSE has introduced an appeals process whereby schools and parents, where appropriate, may seek to appeal the decision of a SENO in relation to the allocation of resources. Information regarding the appeals process is available on the NCSE's website at www.ncse.ie. The NCSE administers this appeals process without recourse to my Department. The information requested by the Deputy is therefore not available within my Department. I have arranged for the details supplied by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.