Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 September 2011
9 Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of special needs assistants employed at present; if further approvals will be made for this school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25231/11]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has advised all mainstream schools of their special needs assistant, SNA, allocations for the 2011-2012 school year. SNA provision in special schools is currently being reviewed. Some 475 of the total 10,575 SNA posts available are being retained in order to allocate them over the coming school year in cases such as emergency, appeals, acquired injuries or new school entrants. Approximately 10,100 whole time equivalent SNA posts have therefore been allocated to date. The NCSE will publish details of the SNA allocations which they have made to schools to date for the 2011-2012 school year. This will be available on the NCSE website shortly at www.ncse.ie, a new departure undertaken by the NCSE at my request. The NCSE has capacity to increase SNA allocations for schools from the retained pool of 475 posts. However, as these posts have to cater for demand to the end of the school year the NCSE must manage the allocation of any additional posts in a measured and prioritised manner.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Do I understand him correctly that the NCSE is reviewing the allocation to all special schools?
Yes.
I presume the remaining approvals that can issue, in total 475, are applicable to all primary schools?
Yes.
As the school year proceeds, can we be sure there will be no inordinate delay in ensuring that SNAs are approved and put in place as soon as possible where the relevant criteria are met?
Deputy Crowe inquired about a school in County Kildare. I am aware of the case in question because I have received correspondence in respect of it. I know the parents involved and also one of the children who requires particular attention. I join Deputy Crowe in requesting that the Minister ask the NCSE to review this very special case as a matter of urgency.
The Deputy is correct in his analysis. Special schools are being reviewed by the NCSE. As I indicated to Deputy Crowe, the school in County Kildare forms part of that review. A decision may well be made to allocate to it an additional resource from the pool of 475 to which I referred. I am not entirely sure what is the practice, but I will inform myself with regard to it. However, there is a precedent and pattern from previous years. There is no intention to retain these posts rather than allocating them. I imagine that a number will be allocated between now and Christmas. A smaller number will be kept in reserve as the school year progresses. As a result of the State's loss of sovereignty in certain areas, we no longer have control over the employment control framework. This means that only a certain number of people can be employed in the public sector. As indicated, in order to be able to respond to a crisis, we need to have some reserves in place. These reserves will drop in number as the school year progresses.
The primary school-going population changes very little after Hallowe'en. If, therefore, the Minister approved appointments in respect of 99.99% of the 475 positions, I do not believe he would be straying outside the terms of the employment control framework. The earlier approvals issue the better. This matter is of the utmost importance to the children and families involved.
