Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
581 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science when the appointment of the special needs assistant for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo will be put in place; the reason for the delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22551/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraAn application for 15 hours per week part-time special needs assistant, SNA, support has been received for the pupil referred to by the Deputy.
It has been my intention for some time to carry out a general review of SNA 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 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.
