Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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747. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the grants available to voluntary organisations for acquiring new equipment in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7239/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I understand that the Deputy is referring to the potential to allocate a grant to a voluntary body to provide equipment to support children with Autism.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department makes provision to support the educational needs of children with special educational needs through its Assistive Technology scheme.

The criteria for the provision of technology support, under this scheme, is set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013.

In order to qualify for equipment under the assistive technology scheme, a child must have been diagnosed with a physical or communicative disability and must also have a recommendation in a professional assessment that the equipment is essential in order to allow the child to access the curriculum. It must also be clear that the existing I.T. equipment in the school is insufficient to meet the child's needs.

The National Council for Special Education through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including specialist equipment required to support the education of children with special educational needs.

SENOs make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required, in accordance with my Department's criteria.

As the provision for assistive technology to support children with special educational needs is made directly to schools, subject to application under the above criteria, my Department does not allocate funding directly to Voluntary bodies for the provision of equipment under the Assistive Technology scheme.