Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if Asperger's Syndrome is a recognised disability for resource hours in primary and second level. [12138/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that, in primary schools, teaching supports for pupils with special educational needs are provided in two ways. Under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, schools are resourced to cater for pupils whose educational psychological assessment places them in the high incidence, or less complex, disability category, including children with mild general learning difficulties. Separately, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates additional resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05. In this context, eligibility for low incidence resource hours for children with Asperger's Syndrome is considered under the Autism/Autism Spectrum Disorder category.