Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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533. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding academic support in respect of persons (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40344/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that all State funded primary schools have been allocated additional resources to provide for children with special educational needs enrolled in school.

In primary schools, additional teaching supports for pupils with special education needs are provided through two channels.

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. All mainstream Primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the GAM to cater for children with high incidence

special educational needs.

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. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department.

It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of additional teaching support to best support the needs of identified pupils, in accordance with my Department's guidance.

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, they should raise this matter directly with their school Principal or the Board of Management of the school.

Schools may also apply to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support in respect of children with special educational needs who have care needs in schools, in accordance with the criteria set out in my Departments Circular 0030/2014 on the SNA scheme.

Schools who wish to make applications for SNA support for children with special educational needs for the current school year may continue to make such applications to the NCSE.

Details of the NCSE application criteria are available at www.ncse.ie.

Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

Finally, I wish to advise the Deputy that the availability of Health related services, such as occupational therapy support, is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE). Questions relating to such health services should therefore be addressed to the HSE, or to my colleague, the Minister for Health.