Written answers

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Photo of Jonathan O'BrienJonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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598. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in a pupil (details supplied) in County Kilkenny receiving an assessment from the special educational needs officer regarding the allocation of a special needs assistant; and the steps that are being taken to ensure that the pupil is receiving assistance with education in the meantime. [36388/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, 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 allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs.

The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support, which are set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.

All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2015/16 school year by 18th March 2015. The NCSE also continued to accept applications after this date in recognition that enrolments may not have been completed or where assessments were not completed.

The NCSE has now published details of SNA allocations for schools for September 2015 on its website at www.ncse.ie.

I understand that the pupil in question transferred from a school where SNA support had been in place and enrolled in a new school on 14th September, 2015.

The NCSE has advised that it received an application from the new school for SNA support for the pupil on 22nd September. The NCSE are currently considering this application and have advised that they will notify the school of its decision regarding the application for support this week.

I understand also that the NCSE has advised the parent of the pupil in question of the allocation processes, including the timeframes and deadlines which apply in this regard.

All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, while Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available the NCSE website.

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