The Rights Commissioner recommended that my Department issue payment amounting to 83% of the full rate of salary to a part-time special needs assistant for work which she undertook in an infants class. Payment has issued in this case but I am not in a position to give details of the amount the person received, as it is of a confidential nature.
Arising from the Rights Commissioner's recommendation, my Department decided to pay part-time special needs-assistants 83% of the full rate of salary if they are working in an infants class for the full duration of the infant school day. My Department will issue a circular to schools in the near future outlining the details of revised arrangements for the payment of part-time special needs assistants. To enable my Department process applications, the school managerial authority must verify that the special needs assistant is working in an infant's class for the full duration of the infant school day.
The amount varies in each case but a special needs assistant working for 23 hours and 20 minutes per week while on the first point of the current salary scale would receive an additional gross payment of €39 per week.