An application for special needs assistant support, SNA, has been received from Griffith College multi-denominational school for the pupil referred to by the Deputy.
My Department prioritised applications for SNA support for new entrants and decisions on the majority of these were communicated to schools on 12 August. My officials are continuing to communicate with schools in respect of other new entrant cases as additional supporting information is provided.
With regard to SNA support generally, the position is that it has been my intention for some time to carry out an overall review of support levels and deployment in mainstream national schools. Bearing in mind the view expressed by schools that any such review should have regard to the actual situation on the ground, I have decided that the process should involve a visit to each school which has SNA support. Arrangements are being made for this review to commence at an early date and a further communication will issue to schools in this regard. Decisions regarding the appropriate level of SNA support in individual schools, having regard to outstanding applications such as the one referred to by the Deputy, will be based on the outcome of this review. Pending notification of the outcome, schools have been advised by my Department that, if they have surplus SNA capacity, they may retain the excess up to the level of applications made to the Department for which a response is awaited.