Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2011
137 Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he expects the allocation of the 475 remaining reserve special needs assistant posts based on the priority criteria identified by the National Council for Special Education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25685/11]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. This now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to an overall cap on the number of SNA posts.
Having considered all of the applications for SNA support received before the initial deadline for applications of 19th May 2011, from mainstream primary and post primary schools, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has now advised all mainstream schools of their SNA allocations for the 2011/12 school year, taking into account the number of valid applications for SNA support and the assessed care needs of the children concerned.
As not all applications for SNA support can be made in advance of the school year, in order to prudently manage this valuable but limited resource, the NCSE and my Department decided that 475 of the 10,575 posts should be retained in order to allocate them over the coming school year in cases such as emergency, appeals, acquired injuries or new school entrants with special needs care.
In relation to special schools, the existing levels of SNA support in special schools have been maintained in the first instance, in order to assist and protect the most vulnerable children, with a review currently taking place. The 475 retained SNA posts will be used to respond to emergency case; additional needs identified arising from the outcome of the review of Special Schools and further emerging demand from schools before the end of the school year.
The NCSE expects to respond to emergency cases on hand within the coming weeks. The outcome of the special school review is expected early in the school year. Other demands from mainstream schools will be responded to up to the end of the school year. Through these arrangements it is expected that the majority of the posts will have been allocated by early in 2012.
It is expected that schools, before requesting any review of their SNA provision, will be in a position to demonstrate that they have made every effort to manage their allocation of SNA posts to best effect.
