I assume that the Deputy is referring to the new special school that opened in September 2008 as a recognised national school. The Deputy will be aware of my Department's commitment to ensuring that all children, including those with special educational needs, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. This facilitates access to individualised education programmes, fully qualified professional teachers, special needs assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
The Deputy will also be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie. The decision to sanction the application for special school status does not, in itself, have any impact on the funding provided by other State sources to a service provider.
