Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 December 2016
119. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistant posts approved nationally for September 2016; the number approved in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39150/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that 12,900 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) have been made available for allocation to primary and secondary schools to the end of 2016, at a total gross annual cost of €425 million.
This represents 860 more posts, or a 7% increase, in the number of posts over which were available last year.
It also represents an increase of 22% since 2011/12 when 10,575 SNA posts were available for allocation.
Of the total 12,900 posts available for allocation this year, 12,634.59 SNA post were approved nationally for schools at September 2016.
The total number of SNAs allocated in Kildare amounts to 547.42, which consists of 348.47 in Primary Schools, 92.95 in Post Primary Schools and 106 in Special Schools.
The NCSE has published details of SNA allocations for all schools which are available to view on a per county basis, including Kildare. Details can be accessed on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie or by using the following link http://ncse.ie/statistics.
