Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons a decision has not been made regarding an application for a special needs assistant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43891/12]

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, for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of such supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. As this question relates to an individual application for SNA support for a particular child, I have arranged for the issue raised by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their direct attention and reply.

Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the future of the fund for students with disabilities and student assistance fund once the current phase expires post 2013; if this scheme will be continued, the way it will be funded; the level of funding available; the way this will be distributed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43903/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Third Level Access Measure provides support for disadvantaged students through two sub-priorities: the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. The objective of the Student Assistance Fund, is to assist students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise, due to their financial circumstances, be unable to continue their third level studies. The Fund for Students with Disabilities provides funding to further and higher education institutions for the provision of services and supports for full-time students with disabilities. These funds are managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of my Department and is funded under the National Development Plan, with assistance from the European Social Fund. No decisions have yet been taken on the amount that will be allocated to Ireland or the programmes to be funded in the next round of EU Structural Funds for the 2014-20 period. The management of the Third Level Access Measures Fund rests with the Higher Education Authority and the allocation of funding for the various access measures is a matter for that authority. Some €13.2 million is available in the Third Level Access Measure Fund overall in the 2012-13 academic year.