Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014
278. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the special needs assistant allocation in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath in order to facilitate mainstreaming in September 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12802/14]
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 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) 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.
The NCSE allocates a quantum of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support. The deployment of SNAs within schools is then a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. The NCSE has invited schools to make applications for SNA support for the coming 2014/15 school year by 26th March, 2014.
All schools who wish to make applications to the NCSE for SNA support for children who have assessed care needs, should now submit such applications to the NCSE for their consideration. Details of the NCSE application criteria are available at www.ncse.ie. 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.
