Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2013
259. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements which are being put in place to cater for the educational needs of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the support that will be provided from September 2014 onwards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26926/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. Schools may make an application to the NCSE for additional resource teaching hours support in respect of pupils who have been diagnosed with a specific learning disability, such as dyslexia or dyscalculia. All schools were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013/14 school year by 15th March 2013. The NCSE are currently processing these applications and schools will be notified by SENOs of their resource teaching and SNA allocation for 2013/14 in advance of the coming school year, based on the number of valid applications received. 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.
