Vol. 509 No. 3
44 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of classroom assistants appointed to primary schools at Sep tember 1999 who have the specific role of assisting individual children with special needs; the number of those assistants working full-time, 20 hours per week or more, 15 to 20 hours, ten to 15 hours and below ten hours; the system, if any, he has to assess their effectiveness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19790/99]
To date, my Department has allocated a total of 685 child care assistant posts or whole-time post equivalents to cater for special needs children in the primary system, including the special school system, and 386 of these have been allocated in the current year. The level of child care support provided in any individual case is based on a professional assessment of the needs of the child and can be adjusted to take account of the evolving needs of the child where necessary.
A detailed breakdown between full-time and part-time allocations of child care support on the basis requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department.
I have, however, asked my officials to compile the information in question and this will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
