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Special Educational Needs.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2010

Tuesday, 23 March 2010

Ceisteanna (653)

Pat Breen

Ceist:

776 Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the filling of special needs assistant positions at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12970/10]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department is very supportive of the SNA scheme. It has been a key factor in both ensuring the successful integration of children with special educational needs into mainstream education and providing support to pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is at present carrying out a review of SNA allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. This exercise may result in the identification of surplus posts which are in the system and which do not meet the current criteria — posts that have been retained when a pupil's care needs have diminished or where the pupil has left. At the same time the NCSE is allocating additional posts where the criteria are met.

There is no question of SNA posts being removed from schools where they continue to meet the scheme's criteria. However, there is also no question of posts being left in schools where they are deemed to be surplus to pupils' care needs. At a time of constrained resources it is essential that we ensure that public resources, both staff and resources, are deployed as effectively as possible. Resources left in an area that are not in accordance with criteria mean public resources are not available for another deserving area.

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