Vol. 489 No. 6
651 Mr. M. Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Science if a decision has been taken in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork in relation to the application by her mother and Ballyhass national school for a classroom assistant for her. [8864/98]
I am aware that an application for a child care assistant has been made to my Department on behalf of the child in question.
My Department's capacity to allocate additional child care assistant posts in any year is dependent on resource availability and the level of competing demand across the special needs area. Where such posts do become available, they are allocated on the basis of priority of need. In recent years, available posts have generally been allocated to special classes which cater for children with severe or profound mental handicap.
I am currently reviewing provision across the special needs area to ensure that all available resources, including child care support, are deployed as effectively as possible. I assure the Deputy that the needs of this child will be considered in this context.
