Where pupils with special needs enrol in a post-primary school, it is open to the school to apply to my Department for additional teaching and/or special needs assistant support for these pupils. 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. Each application is considered on the basis of the assessed needs of the pupils involved and having regard to a range of factors, including the overall resources available to the school.
The school concerned has been allocated 25.20 additional teaching support hours per week and 27 hours per week special needs assistant support to cater for the special educational needs of the students enrolled, including the student referred to by the Deputy. The level of support allocated to the school in question by my Department was determined after detailed consideration of the school's application, the supporting documentation provided and having regard to the overall level of resources already available to the school to address special needs issues. It is a matter for the school authority concerned to deploy this allocation having regard to the assessed needs of individual pupils involved and in line with their evolving needs.