Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 March 2015
231. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in approving a special needs assistant for a school (details supplied) in County Roscommon; her views that it is acceptable that the entire school has been disrupted to accommodate the pupil in question since the beginning of the school year; when a decision will be made on this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10871/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. Where children have significant care needs to the extent that they need additional support to be able to attend school, the NCSE may make an allocation of SNA support to the school to assist that child.
The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.
Details of the SNA allocations which have been made to each school for 2014/15 are available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie. The deployment of SNAs within schools is 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. All schools have been asked to apply to the NCSE for SNA support for the 2015/16 school year by 18 March, 2015. The NCSE will consider all applications for SNA support which have been made by schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy. Allocations for SNA support will then be made to qualifying schools. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Schools who wish to appeal the level of SNA allocation which has been made to them may do so via the appeals process which is set out at www.ncse.ie. 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.
