I inform the Deputy that 3.5 hours resource teaching and a full-time special needs assistant, or SNA, have been approved by my Department for the pupil in question. All such allocations are subject to review, although I can confirm that the resource teaching support approved in this case will remain in place for the 2004-05 school year.
It has been my intention for some time to carry out a general review of special needs assistant support levels and deployment in mainstream national schools. Bearing in mind the view expressed by schools that any such review should have regard to the situation on the ground, I have decided that the process should involve a visit to each school which has SNA support. Arrangements are being made for this review to commence at an early date and a further communication will issue to schools in this regard. Decisions regarding the appropriate level of SNA support in individual schools will be based on the outcome of this review. Pending notification of the outcome, schools have been advised by my Department that if they have surplus SNA capacity, they may retain the excess up to the level of applications made to the Department for which a response is awaited.