Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 November 2019
169. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is funded; the amount of the budget allocated to provide for SNA access; and the number of new applications made for the 2019/2020 academic year. [46225/19]
View answerMy Department meets the pay and non-pay costs of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The NCSE is an independent statutory agency which has a number of functions set out in Section 20 of the EPSEN Act, including:
a) planning for, and co-ordinating, the provision of education for children with special educational needs and ensuring that a continuum of special educational provision is available;
b) conducting and carrying out research;
c) providing policy advice to the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to special education;
d) review provision and advise on educational provision for adults with disabilities;
e) disseminating information, including best practice, on special education to parents, schools and other interested persons and
f) Consult with voluntary bodies to ensure that their knowledge and expertise can inform the development of policy by the Council
Provision for SNA posts is made separately through the annual budget process. For 2019 the number of posts available for allocation will be in the region of 15,950 by the end of December. The annual pay cost of providing SNA support is currently in the region of €551 million for 2019.
