I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 83 together.
I am pleased to inform the Deputies that I recently announced a major new initiative in the special education area under which all children assessed as having special needs arising from a disability will be entitled to an automatic response to those needs. The level and nature of the response in each case will depend on the assessed needs of the child or group of children involved. The response may take the form of a full or part-time remedial teacher, resource teacher or child care support depending on the number of children involved and the nature of their needs. Children with learning disabilities attending schools in question will benefit from these initiatives.
My Department has written to the board of management of Stratford national school, Stratford, County Wicklow seeking details of the pupils who have special educational needs. The school's application for a resource teacher will be considered once these details have been received.