Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004
227 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science her policy in allowing a classroom assistant to move schools with a pupil to whom he or she was attending when that pupil graduates to secondary school; the salary implications of such a move for a classroom assistant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31999/04]
View answerResponsibility for the recruitment and appointment of special needs assistants, SNAs, rests with the relevant school authorities. Where a pupil with special educational needs enrols in a post primary school, it is open to the school to apply to my Department for additional resources for the pupil. If approval is given for additional SNA support, it is a matter for that school to appoint a suitable person to the post. All full-time SNAs employed in primary schools and full-time SNAs in post primary schools appointed with effect from 1 September are paid on an incremental salary scale. Where a full-time SNA transfers from a primary to a post-primary school, without a break in service, payment will continue on the same point of the incremental salary scale. Part-time SNAs are paid a salary based on the hours that they actually work.
My Department has recently revised the rate of pay for all part time SNAs in primary schools. Similar arrangements are being finalised for SNAs working in post primary schools and a circular outlining the relevant details will be issued when this process is complete. Currently, all SNAs in voluntary secondary, community and comprehensive schools are paid by the school authority and the cost is recouped from my Department. With effect from 1 January 2005, these SNAs will be paid directly on my Department's payroll as is the case currently for all primary SNAs.
228 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will take steps to approve a full-time special needs assistance for a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32000/04]
View answerWhere a pupil with special educational needs enrols in a post primary school, it is open to the school to apply to my Department for additional teaching support and-or special needs assistant support for the pupil. My Department allocates additional teaching support and special needs assistant support to second level schools and vocational educational committees to cater for pupils with special educational needs. Each application is considered on the basis of the assessed needs of the pupils involved and having regard to a range of factors including the overall resources available to the school.
The school concerned has been allocated 4.43 whole-time equivalents per week, additional teaching support and also 2.94 whole-time equivalents per week special needs assistant support for the 2004-05 school year to cater for the special educational needs of a number of pupils, including the pupil to whom the Deputy refers. A further application for additional support for the pupil in question was recently received by my Department. This application is under consideration and the school authority will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
229 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason an application for additional hours for a special needs assistant for a person (details supplied) in County Longford led to a reduction of ten hours in the original application; if she will review the decision and grant the additional ten hours sought for this person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32001/04]
View answerAs outlined in my Department's circulars, special needs assistant, SNA, support may be approved for a pupil who has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or other pupils.
The school referred to by the Deputy applied for an increase in SNA support from 23.3 hours per week to a full-time post to meet the needs of the pupil in question. The application, together with the professional reports, was examined by my Department, which recommended 12.5 hours per week SNA support for this pupil. A letter to this effect issued to the school on 25 November 2004. In the event of additional documentation being submitted to my Department, arrangements will be made to have the matter re-examined.
A review of SNA provision, which commenced recently, will apply to approximately 2,000 primary schools with existing SNA support. The review is concerned with the level and deployment of SNA posts in mainstream classes. The intention is to ensure both the level and deployment of such posts are such as to ensure the special care needs of pupils are being appropriately met. As part of the exercise, outstanding applications for SNA support for pupils who are attending mainstream classes will be processed.
