Vol. 529 No. 2
171 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the special needs of persons (details supplied) in Ballinteer have not been recognised through the provision of a classroom assistant; and the further reason a person with multiple disabilities is to receive only two hours support a day with no support for the other two children. [2616/01]
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has sanctioned the appointment of a full-time special needs assistant and an additional ten hours part-time special needs assistant support for the school in question to cater for the educational needs of two of the pupils in question.
My Department's inspectorate has been asked to examine the special needs assistant support required by the third pupil. When the Inspector has reported, my Department will be in touch with the school authorities.
My Department has also sanctioned a resource teacher post to be shared between the school in question and an adjacent school. The three pupils referred to by the Deputy are on the case-load of this resource teacher.
