Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the terms of reference for the National Council for Special Education schools appeals process which it intends to have in place for the 2012/2013 school year allocation process; and the input he has had with the NCSE in developing these guidelines. [30973/12]

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 processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports including Resource Teaching and Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support, to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of such supports and the budgetary and staffing resources available to my Department. SENOs are currently notifying schools of their Resource Teaching and SNA allocations for 2012/13, based on the number of valid applications received and, in the case of SNA support, the extent of the care needs of qualifying children.

The NCSE is currently developing an appeals process which I understand and will consider appeals on the following grounds: (i) That Department of Education and Skills policies were not adhered to or (ii) That due account of the evidence of educational needs of the child (in relation to additional teaching hours) and care needs of the child (in relation to SNA support) or the resourcing available within the school was not taken into account when applying the Department of Education and Skills policy or (iii) A combination of (i) and (ii) above. I understand the appeals process will be in place when the schools re-open in September 2012 and will extend beyond the 2012/2013 school year into the future.