Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 160: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the role undertaken by special educational needs organisers. [19567/11]

Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the job being performed by special educational needs organisers might be more suitably undertaken by the inspectorate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19568/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 160 and 161 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which was established as a result of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, 2004 (EPSEN Act), is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for co-ordinating special needs education provision at local level and arranging for the delivery of special educational services.

One of the roles of the SENO is the processing of applications from schools for special educational needs supports, within my Department's criteria. Another specific function of the SENO is to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs. Each SENO works in an assigned local area with parents, schools, teachers, psychologists, health professionals and other staff who are involved in the provision of services in that area for children with special educational needs. SENOs act as single points of contact for parents of students with special educational needs. The SENOs are a valuable local resource to parents in this context.

The Inspectorate of my Department is responsible for the evaluation of primary and post-primary schools and centres for education and for the provision of advice to the educational system and policy makers. The inspectorate works to improve learning outcomes for students in schools and centres for education. I do not intend to revisit or combine the separate roles and functions of the inspectorate or the SENOS.