Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to ensure that a child with special needs in an area (details supplied) will not lose a place in the local school due to the lack of special needs assistant posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16756/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that 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. This now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to an overall cap on the number of SNA posts.

The NCSE issued a circular to all schools advising of the allocation process for SNA support for the 2011/2012 school year. A key feature of the amended scheme will be to provide for an annual allocation of Special Needs Assistant support to eligible schools.

The NCSE asked schools to submit all applications for SNA support to them by 18th March, 2011 and intend to inform schools of their annual SNA allocation as soon as possible, in advance of the coming school year.

However, while this process is ongoing it is not possible to predict the numbers of Special Needs Assistants that will be allocated to any school, including the school referred to by the Deputy in Lucan.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that schools are reporting difficulties in complying with circular 0030/2011; if such reports are widespread; if there is any updated guidance for schools to deal with the complexities which arise as a result of implementing the circular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16644/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Circular 30/2011 sets out the interim arrangements to apply for the 2011/12 school year for Learning Support/Resource Teacher and Resource Teacher posts.

The purpose of this circular is to inform schools of the interim arrangements that are being put in place for the 2011 /12 school year in respect of their NCSE approved resource hours and learning support hours so that posts are deployed in line with authorised allocations.

The Department's approach has allowed schools to "roll-over" all their existing full time posts on the condition that any surplus capacity in these posts is shared with other local schools.

If the "roll-over "arrangements are not sufficient to meet a schools approved allocation, they must firstly contact their local schools for any surplus capacity and then, if necessary, there is an application process to the Department under the Circular.