Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 58: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding for dyspraxia has been considered in budget 2012. [28045/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Firstly, I wish to reiterate this Government's commitment to the provision of resources for children with special educational needs. The Programme for Government sets out that education will be a priority for this Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the educational experience of children, young people and students.

Approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department – some €1.3 billion – will be spent in support of children with Special Educational Needs this year. This provision is in line with expenditure in 2010 and shows that despite the current economic difficulties, funding for special education has not been cut.

The continued commitment of this Government to special education provision, at a time when savings are being required across a range of expenditure areas, will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to have access to educational facilities in line with their requirements.

The funding allocation for the education sector for 2012 and for future years will be determined in the context of the overall Estimates and Budgetary process, a key element of which will be the results of the Comprehensive Reviews of Expenditure (CRE) undertaken by all Government Departments.

I wish to clarify for the Deputy that my Department provides a range of teaching and care supports for children of school-going age with special educational needs, including children with dyspraxia. The precise level of support is determined by the special educational needs of the particular child.

Children with dyspraxia may be entitled to additional provision in school, either under the terms of the general allocation system of teaching supports if the educational psychological assessment places the child in the high incidence disability category or through an allocation of additional resources if the child is assessed as being within the low incidence category of special need, as defined by my Department's circular.

The Deputy is aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resources to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.