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479 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 480Special Educational Needs.324. Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister forEducation and Science if her Department proposeto establish a special needs class for Down’ssyndrome children at a location (detailssupplied). [5633/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): I have requested my Department’sinspectorate to discuss the matter referred to bythe Deputy with the school in question. Thematter will be progressed further as soon as thisprocess has been completed.Schools Refurbishment.325. Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Educationand Science if she will provide funding toa school (details supplied) in County Galway tofacilitate the purchase of furniture and equipment;and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5651/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): An application for new-replacementfurniture has not been received from the schoolreferred to by the Deputy. I will make arrangementsfor an application form to issue to theschool as soon as possible. The school buildingunit will be in further contact with the schoolauthorities once this application has beenreceived.Special Educational Needs.326. Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Educationand Science, further to Question No. 487of 8 February 2005, the extra teaching supportand special needs assistance specifically allocatedto the person attending a second level school; ifthis case will be reviewed as a matter of urgency;and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5659/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): Where a pupil with special educationalneeds enrols in a post-primary school, it is opento the school to apply for additional teaching supportand-or special needs assistant support for thepupil. My Department allocates additional teachingsupport and special needs assistant supportto second level schools and vocational educationcommittees to cater for pupils with special educationalneeds. Each application is considered onthe basis of the assessed needs of the pupilsinvolved and having regard to a range of factorsincluding the overall resources available to theschool.An application for additional teaching supportand special needs assistant support for a numberof pupils, including the pupil referred to by theDeputy, was received in my Department on 21June 2004. The school authority was notified ofthe outcome of this application on 24 September2004. Subsequently an appeal was received in myDepartment on 12 October 2004 and the schoolauthority was notified of the outcome of thisappeal on the 1 November 2004.My Department has approved an allocation of75.62 hours’ teaching support per week and 45hours’ special needs assistant support per weekto the school in question to cater for the specialeducational needs of a number of pupils, includingthe pupil to which the Deputy refers. Thelevel of support allocated was determined afterdetailed consideration of the school’s application,the supporting documentation provided and havingregard to the overall level of resourcesalready available to the school to address specialneeds issues. If the school authority is of the viewthat the existing approved allocation is incapableof addressing the current level of assessed specialneeds within the school and additional informationto that already submitted becomes available,my Department will be prepared to reconsiderthe case.Grant Payments.327. Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Educationand Science the grant aid advanced to theInstitute of Design and Disability for the years2003 and 2004; and if she will make a statementon the matter. [5690/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): My Department does not provide anyfunding to the Institute of Design and Disabilityand therefore did not provide any funding to theinstitute for the years in question.Tax Code.328. Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Educationand Science when a person (details supplied) inCounty Kildare will be issued with a P60 from herDepartment; and if she will make a statement onthe matter. [5744/05]329. Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Educationand Science when a person (details supplied) inCounty Kildare will be issue with a P60 from herDepartment; and if she will make a statement onthe matter. [5745/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): I propose to take Questions Nos. 328and 329 together.It is planned to issue P60s to all special needsassistants employed in primary schools, includingthe two persons referred to by the Deputy, on24 February.Special Educational Needs.330. Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister forEducation and Science the supports which herDepartment will put in place to assist a person(details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if herDepartment will take a proactive approach inmeeting this person’s needs; if a report on theirneeds is already available; if not, if one will bearranged immediately; and if she will make astatement on the matter. [5746/05]
481 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 482Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): With effect from 1 January 2005, theNational Council for Special Education throughlocal special educational needs organisers willprocess resource applications for children withspecial educational needs. The National Councilfor Special Education has been established as anindependent statutory body with responsibilitiesas set out in the National Council for SpecialEducation (Establishment) Order 2003. Where apupil with special educational needs enrols in apost-primary school, it is open to the school toapply to the local SENO for additional teachingsupport and-or special needs assistant support forthe pupil.My Department has recently issued circular letterPPT 01/05 advising the authorities of post-primaryschools of the arrangements put in place asa result of the transfer of these functions to theNCSE. I am confident that the establishment ofthe National Council for Special Education willprove of major benefit in ensuring that all childrenwith special educational needs receive thesupport they require when and where theyrequire it.331. Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Educationand Science if, in view of the fact thatEnnis is one of the largest centres of populationin County Clare with no provision for educationfor children and teenagers suffering from autism,she will provide facilities at one of the schools inEnnis as a matter of extreme urgency; and if shewill make a statement on the matter. [5766/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): I am most anxious that all children,including children with autistic spectrum disorders,receive education appropriate to theirneeds.There are three special classes catering forpupils with autism in mainstream primary schoolsin County Clare as well as three special classes inspecial schools in the county. My Department hasreceived an application to establish an additionalspecial class for autism from a primary school inCounty Clare. My officials are liaising with theNational Educational Psychological Serviceregarding the application and a decision will beconveyed to the school as soon as this process hasbeen completed.Schools Refurbishment.332. Mr. Walsh asked the Minister for Educationand Science if a mechanical lift will be providedat a school (details supplied) in CountyCork; and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5773/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): The application from the schoolreferred to by the Deputy for the provision offunding for a mechanical lift under the 2005 summerworks scheme is under consideration. Detailsof schools with projects approved under the SWS2005 will be outlined in the near future.Third Level Fees.333. Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister forEducation and Science if financial assistance isavailable for a person (details supplied) inCounty Donegal; and if she will make a statementon the matter. [5833/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): In 1996-97, my Department’s studentsupport schemes were extended to provide maintenancegrants to eligible students pursuingapproved full-time undergraduate courses of atleast two years’ duration in other EU memberstates, including the UK. The courses must be followedin a university or third level institution,which is maintained or assisted by recurrentgrants from public funds. The extension of theschemes at that time did not extend to courses atpostgraduate level. Students attending approvedcourses in other EU member states are subject tothe same conditions of funding as studentsattending approved courses in the State. Themain conditions of funding relate to age, residence,means, nationality and previous academicattainment.Tax relief on tuition fees is available in respectof approved courses at undergraduate and postgraduatelevel in other EU member states. Inrecent years, the UK authorities introduced anumber of changes in the financial supportarrangements for students pursuing courses atfurther and higher education institutions. Theseincluded the introduction of an annual tuition feefor students entering further and higher educationinstitutions for the first time from the 1998-99 academic year and the replacement of maintenancegrants by student loans to be phased infrom that year also. All EU students, includingIrish students, are eligible for consideration forgrant assistance towards the tuition fee subject tothe same conditions as apply to UK students.School Class Sizes.334. Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Ministerfor Education and Science the averagenumber of pupils in primary school classes; and ifshe will make a statement on the matter.[5834/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): The system for allocating teachers toprimary schools is based on ensuring an overallmaximum class of 29 in each school. Where someclasses in a school have class sizes of greater than29, it is generally because a decision has beentaken at local level to use their teaching resourcesto have smaller numbers in other classes.The Deputy should note that significantimprovements have been made in this area inrecent years. The average class size at primarylevel is now 23.9, down from 26.6 in 1996-97. Thepupil teacher ratio, which includes all the teachers
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