Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 May 2014
50. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of special needs assistants employed for 2013-14; the ceiling number of SNAs that may be employed within schools; the way this number is calculated; and the persons who calculate it. [20480/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that, in December 2013, this Government agreed to increase the cap on the number of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts available for allocation to schools by 390 posts to 10,965 at the end of 2014. These extra posts will ensure that the Government's policy of ensuring that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support. 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 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 total number of Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) SNA posts currently allocated by the NCSE is 10,656 posts. There is no ceiling or limit to the numbers of SNAs which can be employed in individual schools. The numbers employed in individual schools reflects the levels of care needs which have been identified by the NCSE. The overall number of SNAs available for allocation is determined by reference to the levels of care needs nationally which have been identified by the NCSE. The number is agreed between officials within my Department and officials of the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform in the context of the overall staff resources allocated to my Department under the employment control framework.
