Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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118. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs children in counties Roscommon and Galway that have SNA support in a primary and secondary school setting for 2015 and 2016, in tabular form; the numbers in both counties that are currently awaiting approval or assessment for SNA support for 2016/2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3305/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which is an independent statutory agency is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports including Special Needs Assistant (S) support. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support, as set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.

Responsibility for deciding on the quantum of educational supports and resources to be allocated to schools to support individual pupils rests with the NCSE.

The NCSE has published details of S allocations to schools on a county per county basis, including allocations for Roscommon and Galway for 2015 and 2016 which is available on its website at: .

Information relating to the numbers that are currently in receipt of S support or who are awaiting approval or assessment for S support is a matter for the NCSE and this matter has been referred to the NCSE for direct reply.