My Department allocates additional teaching support and special needs assistant support to second level schools and vocational education committees to cater for pupils with special educational needs. Applications for such support are made to my Department by the relevant school authority. Each application is considered on the basis of the assessed needs of the pupils involved and the nature and level of the support provided is determined on the advice of the psychological service.
An application seeking additional resources to address the special educational needs of a number of pupils in the school concerned, including the pupil referred to by the Deputy, was submitted to my Department by County Kilkenny VEC. Following consideration of the application, my Department allocated an additional ten teaching hours per week for the 2004-05 school year to address the needs of the pupils concerned.
An application for additional resources for the 2003-04 school year in respect of the pupil in question was received by my Department. As the pupil concerned was not enrolled by a school attached to the VEC at that time no resources could be allocated and the principal of the school was advised accordingly.