I am aware of the proposed enrolment of a pupil with disabilities at the school referred to by the Deputy.
With regard to a personal assistant for the pupil my Department's capacity to allocate additional child care assistant posts in any year is entirely dependent on resources available and the level of competing demand across the special needs area. Where such posts do become available, they are allocated on the basis of priority of need. In recent years, available posts have generally been allocated to special schools and special classes which cater for children with a severe or profound mental handicap.
I am at present reviewing provisions across the special needs area to ensure that all available resources, including child care support, are deployed as effectively as possible. Please be assured that the needs of the child you referred to will be considered in this context.
I have recently authorised the planning and building unit of my Department to commence architectural planning for an extension at the school to which the Deputy refers. The extension will take account of the needs of the physically disabled. In the meantime, my Department's technical advisers have been asked to explore the immediate disabled access needs for September 1998 enrolment.
