Special Educational Needs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022

Tuesday, 22 February 2022

Questions (442)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

442. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education her plans to announce the SNA allocation for the academic year beginning September 2022 before May 2022; if her Department is considering a mechanism to apply for additional resources in the middle of the academic year in circumstances in which a school takes in students with additional levels of need; if the National Council for Special Education is resourced adequately to deal with exceptional reviews in a timely fashion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9333/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools was deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.

In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the following arrangements for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants for mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year were announced:

- Existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 were maintained and automatically rolled over into the 2021/22 school year.

- No school received an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.

- SNAs currently in mainstream settings can continue in post for the 2021/22 school year in the normal way.

- Priority consideration was given by the NCSE to applications for increased support for the 2021/22 school year. In particular, applications from schools with no SNAs and developing schools were prioritised with determinations made before 30 June. Other applications were processed in order of date received.

- As in previous years, where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website, ncse.ie/for-schools. The NCSE published SNA allocations on their website, www.ncse.ie.

SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.

Circular 0029/2021 advised schools of the arrangements for the allocation of SNAs for the 2021/22 school year.

Provisions set out in Circular 0030/2020 were extended for the 2021/22 school year.

Circular 0029/2021 and Circular 0030/2020 are available on the Department's website.