Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstances under which a principal or teacher is obliged to implement the recommendations of a psychological or medical professional; and the circumstances which allow them to disregard these recommendations. [51732/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 (EPSEN) and Disability Acts set out clearly the role and functions of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) and their staff in carrying out assessments and with regard to the provision of services for children with special educational needs. Responsibility for deciding on the quantum of educational supports and resources to be allocated to schools, or to individual pupils, rests with the NCSE, in accordance with my Department's policy.

It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of resource teaching support to best support the needs of qualifying pupils, in accordance with my Departments guidance.

In general, all teachers have a duty of care to their students and each school authority should have in place appropriate practices and procedures to ensure the safety and protection of its pupils. The class teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in his/her class, including any pupil with a special educational need. In this task, the teacher may be supported by a learning support teacher and/or resource teacher. SNAs are allocated to schools to enable them to support pupils with disabilities who also have significant care needs.

The National Education Psychological Service is also available to give guidance and support to school principals or teachers on the provision of education for children with special educational needs. Should a parent be dissatisfied with the manner in which the resources or facilities which have been provided to support their child's education are being applied in school, or with regard to their child's educational progress in school, they should raise this matter directly with their school Principal or the Board of Management of the school in the first instance.