Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 119: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of children with special needs for whom facilities were reduced following the measures introduced by the previous administration; the extent, if any, to which any alleviation can be offered which might address the issues arising within the financial constraints prevailing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25597/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the degree, if any, to which he can set aside any provision to meet requirements of the most serious cases of special needs which might not be anticipated in the context of previous budgetary projections with particular reference to addressing the needs of those children whose development might be impaired permanently as a result of the economic situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25606/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will examine the cases of those most severely affected by shortages in the facilities for children with special needs with a view to some alleviation measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25607/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 119, 127 and 128 together.

This Government is committed to the protection of frontline services for pupils with special educational needs. 10,575 whole time equivalent (wte) Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts are being provided for primary, post-primary and special schools for the coming school year in order to support the care needs of pupils with disabilities. This represents an increase over the December 2010 position where 10,543 posts were provided.

Approximately 9,950 learning support/resource teacher posts, including those provided under the General Allocation Model, are also being provided in primary & post primary schools in order to provide additional teaching support to pupils with special educational needs. This represents an increase of approximately 350 whole time equivalent posts over last year's allocation.

There has therefore not been a reduction in the overall level of resources being provided for children with special educational needs. The Deputy will be aware 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. Having considered all of the applications for SNA support which have been received from mainstream primary and post primary schools, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has now advised all mainstream schools of their SNA allocations for the 2011/12 school year, taking into account the number of valid applications for SNA support and the assessed care needs of the children concerned. SNA provision in special schools is currently being reviewed.

As not all applications for SNA support can be made in advance of the school year, in order to prudently manage this valuable but limited resource, the NCSE and my Department decided that 475 of the 10,575 posts should be retained in order to allocate them over the coming school year in cases such as emergency, appeals, acquired injuries or new school entrants with special needs care. The NCSE therefore has capacity to increase SNA provision for schools from the retained pool of 475 posts. However, as these posts have to last for the school year the NCSE must manage the allocation of any additional posts in a measured and prioritised manner. The care needs of pupils for whom any new applications are being made must be assessed in the context of the existing levels of SNA support available to the school. It is expected that schools, before requesting any review of their SNA provision, will be in a position to demonstrate that they have made every effort to manage their allocation of SNA posts to best effect.

In relation to the allocation of Resource Teaching hours, schools were asked to forward as soon as possible any outstanding applications, or additional outstanding materials to support incomplete applications, to the NCSE for consideration, but in any event by no later than 16 September 2011.

NCSE are now giving consideration with regard to the number of applications received, as to whether there is potential to revise the 90% allocation previously given to schools, and also the extent to which new Resource Teaching allocations can be made, taking into account the number of valid new applications received and in the context of my Departments Employment Control Framework obligations.