Vol. 555 No. 2
207 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason for the decision to remove all part-time special needs assistants from the payroll for Easter holidays 2002 in view of the fact that they were paid for Christmas holidays 2001; and if he will examine the case of a person (details supplied) to determine if they are due payments from his Department. [18128/02]
Part-time special needs assistants are contracted to deliver a specified number of hours service per week in the schools in which they are employed and are paid accordingly. The duration of the service provided is based on the professionally assessed needs of the individual children involved.
Special needs assistants employed on a part-time basis are paid an hourly rate. Under current legislation, 8% of total earnings is paid to each part-time special needs assistant in respect of holiday pay. Any payments made to part-time special needs assistants in respect of the Christmas holiday period will be taken into account in calculating overall holiday pay entitlements.
I have asked my officials to examine the particular case to which the Deputy refers and to respond to the person in question as soon as possible.
