Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 68: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an appeal in respect of reduced special needs assistant hours for a child (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the criteria used to make the decision to reduce the hours; when the appeal will be dealt with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38294/10]

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 NCSE is committed to exercising its role in relation to the allocation of teaching hours and Special Needs Assistants to schools to support the education of children with special educational needs in a way that is fair, consistent and transparent. The NCSE has introduced an appeals procedure which can now be viewed in full on its website - www.ncse.ie.

I have arranged for the details supplied to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.