Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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502. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for an electronic device for a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [42454/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in making recommendations for support, which is set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013.

I understand that the NCSE is not in a position to make a recommendation to my Department for the provision of assistive technology for the pupil in question, as the application which was submitted did not meet the criteria set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013. A letter has recently issued to the school in this regard.

Additional documentation which has been made available by the school, which was not available to the SENO when the initial application was made, has been forwarded to the school's assigned SENO. The school has been advised to contact their SENO further in this regard and my Department will consider the matter further if any revised recommendation is made.

It is open parents to contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on the NCSE website.