Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2015
478. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will advise further on schools submitting applications for resources for special needs assistants in March 2015; and if the level of resources needed, based on assessment, will be met for the upcoming school year. [27034/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra479. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons for the delay in processing applications from schools for resources for special needs assistants for the upcoming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27035/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra480. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills when schools will be notified regarding the allocation of resources for special needs assistants in respect of the upcoming school year. [27036/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 478 to 480, inclusive, together.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating SNA support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.
The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support and these criteria by are set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.
All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2015/16 school year by 18th March 2015. The NCSE also continued to accept applications after this date in recognition that enrolments may not have been completed or where assessments were not completed.
On conclusion of this process, the NCSE evaluated the level of SNAs required to meet the needs of schools for the coming year and advised the Department on the quantum of SNAs that would need to be provided to meet this need.
This information was received by the Department on 15th June and my Department is currently working to finalise its consideration of this as quickly as possible.
Details of SNA allocations to schools for 2015/16 will be available on the NCSE website on completion of this process.
