Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 57: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for special needs assistants that were made from schools in counties Dublin, Laois and Offaly since February 2011; the schools that made these applications; and the position regarding these applications. [34877/11]

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, 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. Applications for SNA support are made directly to the NCSE. My Department does not therefore hold details of the number of applications made on a school by school, or county, basis for SNA support.

The NCSE has recently published statistical information in relation to the allocation of SNA and resource teacher posts to Primary, Special and Post Primary Schools. The information is provided on a county by county and school by school basis, including in relation to the counties referred to by the Deputy. This information is available on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.