Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school place in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15802/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the provision of a range of educational services at local and national level for students with special educational needs. In particular, its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) co-ordinates special needs education provision at local level and arranges for the delivery of special educational services. The SENOs act as single points of contact for parents of students with special educational needs. Another specific function of the SENO is to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs and SENOs are a valuable source of support to parents who are actively sourcing a placement for their children. I have arranged for the details supplied by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

The Deputy will also be aware that my Department's home tuition scheme provides funding to parents to provide education at home for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and also to provide early educational intervention for preschool children with autism. My Department has no record of receiving an application for home tuition for the child to whom the Deputy refers. I have arranged for an application form to be forwarded to the parents of the child in question.