Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 140: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that despite a meeting with her predecessor and officials from her Department, a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 has still received no response to its requests for special needs assistant support for pupils admitted in September 2010 and that there has been no recognition of the new autism unit where pupils with challenging behaviour lack vital and promised support and if she will intervene to resolve this ongoing problem. [41562/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in all mainstream and special schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support and conveys decisions on applications directly to schools without recourse to my Department. The NCSE has advised that it has, within the last week, processed the school's application for additional supports