Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 June 2012
197 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if it is his intention to further cut the maximum entitlement of special needs assistants hours that children with special needs will receive in the 2012/2013 school year to three hours. [26966/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. In considering applications for SNA support, the NCSE takes into account the individual care needs of all qualifying children, supports freed up due to any school leavers, and the identified care needs of newly enrolled children with special educational needs. SNAs, once allocated to schools are a school based resource. The allocation of SNAs, while allocated on the basis of an assessed need of an individual child, are allocated to the school and should be deployed with discretion by the school in a manner which bests meets the support and care requirements of the children. There is no maximum number of hours for which SNA support can be provided for any particular child during the school day.
