Written Answers Nos. 420-442
420. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health to address the chronic shortage of nursing staff at St. Joseph's service for the intellectually disabled at Portrane, County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5320/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
422. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health when the Health Service Executive will approve a nursing home (details supplied) in Swords, County Dublin under the fair deal scheme. [5322/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe first step for a nursing home to become an approved residential care facility is to be registered with the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). HIQA is the independent authority established under the Health Act 2007, and all nursing homes, whether public, private or voluntary, are required to be registered and inspected by the HIQA.
Furthermore, the legislation underpinning the Nursing Homes Support Scheme requires each private nursing home to negotiate and agree a price for long-term residential care services with the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) should they wish to be an approved nursing home for the purposes of the Scheme.
The NTPF is independent in the performance of this function and neither the Department of Health nor the HSE can influence the process. The NTPF negotiates with each nursing home individually and may examine the records and accounts of nursing homes as part of the process with the objective of setting a fair price which delivers value for money to the individual and the State. Pricing contracts are entirely a matter for agreement between the NTPF and the nursing home in question.
In negotiating with nursing homes, the NTPF has regard to:
- costs reasonably and prudently incurred by the nursing home and evidence of value for money,
- price(s) previously charged,
- local market price, and
- budgetary constraints and the obligation on the State to use available resources in the most beneficial, effective and efficient manner to improve, promote and protect the health and welfare of the public.
If negotiations between nursing home proprietors and the NTPF cannot reach agreement there is a three stage review process available: details are set out on the NTPF website at www.ntpf.ie.
423. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the number of whole-time equivalent consultant posts attached to Beaumont Hospital's national centre for neurology; the current waiting time for emergency treatment; the number of patients on the elective surgery waiting list and the waiting times; his views on the adequacy of the current staff complement relative to best practice norms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5323/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
424. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if a bed will be provided in University Hospital Waterford for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5328/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
425. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health the status of an application from a person (details supplied) in County Cork; if this application can be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5331/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
426. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health the number of vacancies which exist within his Department for candidates who must display competence in the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5436/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to ensuring that customers who wish to conduct their business through Irish can be facilitated to the greatest extent possible. The Department has 10 staff or almost 3 % of the total number of employees who are capable of carrying out their duties through both the Irish and English languages. All written correspondence addressed to the Department in Irish is replied to in Irish and any telephone queries are referred to one of the members of staff competent in Irish.
The Department's Language Scheme 2015-2018 sets out the extent to which the Department’s services are currently available through Irish, and identifies areas for future enhancement such as press and communication services and the Department’s website.
From 2015, Public Appointments Service panels include persons with specific competencies in the Irish language and it is the intention of the Department to fill any gaps identified in our current staffing in this area from such panels. In addition 9 members of staff are currently undertaking a Certificate in Professional Irish course approved by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
427. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the proposed role which Irish development charities and migrant groups such as the Immigrant Council of Ireland working on the refugee crisis have in the global summit being co-hosted by Ireland at the United Nations in New York in the United States of America in September 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4958/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have warmly welcomed the appointment of Ireland’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador David Donoghue, to co-facilitate, with his Jordanian counterpart, negotiations on the arrangements for the major UN Summit in New York on 19 September 2016 on the global challenge of migration and refugee movements. The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has decided to convene this high-level international meeting to bring together world leaders during the opening week of the UN General Assembly, to address the need for long term strategies and commitments on migration and refugees. The meeting will follow on from the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May, which will address the unprecedented scale of humanitarian crisis and conflict worldwide, which have resulted in the displacement of some 60 million people from their homes. The Irish and Jordanian Ambassadors have begun their consultations with the 193 UN member states on the organisational arrangements for the September Summit. These include consideration of the arrangements for participation by representatives of civil society organisations. Further meetings on these issues will be held over the coming weeks, with a view to agreement on high level political representation in the Summit by the UN member states and engagement with civil society.
428. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the foreign Heads of State who have been officially invited to visit Ireland since 2011; the number of visits which have materialised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5000/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraState visits and other official visits support the promotion of Ireland’s interests internationally and contribute to the development of strong economic, political and cultural links. A State Visit is the highest level of official visit from one country to another. Such visits take place on the invitation of one State to another, and involve State ceremonial elements. During State Visits to Ireland, ceremonial elements include an official welcome ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin as well as a wreath-laying ceremony at the Garden of Remembrance and a State Dinner hosted by the President, as well as possible engagements with the Taoiseach, other members of government and the Oireachtas. Since 2011, the following State Visits to Ireland have taken place:
|
Year |
Country |
Name and Title |
|
2011 |
United Kingdom |
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II |
|
2011 |
Monaco |
His Serene Highness Prince Albert II |
|
2014 |
Republic of Mozambique |
President Armando Emílio Guebuza |
|
2015 |
Federal Republic of Germany |
Federal President Joachim Gauck |
The schedule for State Visits to Ireland is the subject of on-going contacts with the administrations of other States. Invitations to make State Visits arise in various contexts, including in reciprocation for State Visits from Ireland to a particular country, or for other reasons relating to the shared wish to mark the bilateral relationship. In the period in question, the President of Ireland has paid State Visits to Croatia, the UK, China and Portugal.
429. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of pressure applied by the European Union on the Arab League to take a more proactive approach to assisting with the Syrian and Iraqi refugee crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5001/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraEU Foreign Ministers will hold a meeting with their Arab League counterparts on 21 April 2014, and will discuss a wide range of issues. The Syrian crisis and the impacts of the Syrian crisis, including migration and terrorism are key issues for both the EU and the Arab League. Regional States who are members of the Arab League have already taken in several million Syrians fleeing the violence and humanitarian crisis inside Syria. The only sustainable resolution to the migration crisis in the region is an end to the conflict in Syria. Ireland and the EU have made clear our strong support for the UN-led Geneva III talks process currently underway.
430. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will ensure that Ireland does not sign up to a new agreement with Turkey at the meeting of the European Council this week which, if successfully passed, will be in contravention of our international obligations to protect refugees, in accordance with the United Nations; if Ireland will contribute any further payments to Turkey or accept any more refugees, other than those agreed to in September 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5114/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe migration crisis has dominated the EU agenda for the past year. While there have been divergent views among some member states about the best way to address the crisis, the Union has nonetheless succeeded in developing a comprehensive strategy aimed at addressing the root causes of the crisis; meeting the humanitarian needs of refugees; and reducing the large numbers of migrants arriving in Europe. The problem has been in the implementation of this strategy. Turkey has a key role to play if the migration crisis is to be managed, as the majority of migrants entering the EU transit Turkey. In November, the EU and Turkey agreed a Joint Action Plan, a central element of which was that Turkey would work to stop the flow of illegal migrants transiting Turkey. In a renewed attempt to get Turkey to do more to implement this plan, EU leaders met with the Turkish Prime Minister twice this month, on 7 March and on 17/18 March. In order to break the business model of the smugglers and to offer migrants an alternative to putting their lives at risk, the EU and Turkey agreed to end the irregular migration from Turkey to the EU. In order to achieve this goal, they agreed on the following:
1) All new irregular migrants crossing from Turkey into Greek islands as from 20 March 2016 will be returned to Turkey. This will take place in full accordance with EU and international law, thus excluding any kind of collective expulsion. All migrants will be protected in accordance with the relevant international standards. It will be a temporary and extraordinary measure which is necessary to end the human suffering. Migrants arriving in the Greek islands will be duly registered and any application for asylum will be processed individually by the Greek authorities in accordance with the Asylum Procedures Directive, in cooperation with UNHCR. Migrants not applying for asylum or whose application has been found unfounded or inadmissible in accordance with the said directive will be returned to Turkey.
2) For every Syrian being returned to Turkey from Greek islands, another Syrian will be resettled from Turkey to the EU. A mechanism will be established to ensure that this principle will be implemented as from the same day the returns start. On the EU side, resettlement under this mechanism will take place, in the first instance, by honouring the commitments made by the European Council on 20 July 2015, of which 18,000 places for resettlement remain. Any further need for resettlement will be carried out through a similar voluntary arrangement up to a limit of an additional 54,000 persons. Should these arrangements not meet the objective of ending the irregular migration and the number of returns come close to the numbers provided for above, this mechanism will be reviewed. Should the number of returns exceed the numbers provided for above, this mechanism will be discontinued.
3) Turkey has agreed to take any necessary measures to prevent new sea or land routes for illegal migration opening from Turkey to the EU, and will cooperate with neighbouring states as well as the EU to this effect.
4) Once irregular crossings between Turkey and the EU are ending or at least have been substantially and sustainably reduced, a Voluntary Humanitarian Admission Scheme will be activated. EU Member States will contribute on a voluntary basis to this scheme.
In addition to the above, the EU will accelerate visa liberalisation talks with Turkey and if necessary provide additional funding for the support of Syrian refugees in Turkey. The EU has already agreed to provide €3 billion of such funding. Ireland’s national contribution to this funding will be over €22 million.
The agreement reached with Turkey is fully consistent with international and EU law. Ireland and many other EU partners were clear that had to be the case, and the European Council has been assured on that point.
Insofar as the Irish response to the migration crisis is concerned, the Government voluntarily decided to accept up to 4,000 migrants. As of now, the resettlement and relocation arrangements agreed – including those in relation to Turkey - can be met from within this number. We also deployed a number of naval vessels to the Mediterranean which rescued more than 8,500 people. We have also contributed financially to various migration-related initiatives including €42 million in response to the Syria crisis since 2011, and have pledged a further €20 million for this year.
431. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on correspondence concerning a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5298/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have read and noted the contents of the correspondence referred to in the Deputy’s Question and I can assure the Deputy and the family of this Irish citizen that this case continues to be a top priority for the Government. As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade I have engaged extensively on this citizen’s case with my Egyptian counterpart, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sameh Shoukry, and with Egypt’s Ambassador to Ireland, Ms. Soha Gendi. The Taoiseach has raised this case at the highest-level with the Egyptian President, Mr. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Officials from my Department and our Embassy in Cairo are in regular and frequent contact with the relevant Egyptian authorities.
The Government has also raised the case at senior levels with the European Union and the European External Action Service (EEAS). I have raised the case directly on a number of occasions with High Representative and Commission Vice President Mogherini, and she in turn has discussed the case with senior Egyptian Government interlocutors.
The Egyptian Government is in no doubt as to our position on this consular case, our clear determination to see this citizen released at the earliest possible opportunity so that he can return to Ireland and resume his school studies, our concerns about the judicial process and our frustration at the length of time this young person has been detained without having been convicted of any crime.
The Egyptian authorities, for their part, see this individual as an Egyptian citizen according to their laws. They argue that he faces charges relating to serious offences and that the judicial process must be allowed to take its course.
Since this citizen’s arrest in 2013, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and our Embassy in Cairo, have provided extensive consular assistance to him and his family. My officials undertake regular consular visits to the citizen in prison, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade interacts frequently with his family and his Egyptian legal team to provide support and assistance. Such a high level of visitation means that Embassy officials are well-placed to intervene on his behalf when issues in relation to his well-being arise. A number of interventions related to this citizen’s treatment and welfare in detention have been made on his behalf with the Egyptian authorities, and we continue to pay close attention to all aspects of his welfare. We are satisfied that access to his legal representation is not being impeded, and the citizen receives regular visits from family members. The most recent consular visit took place on 11 February and was undertaken by the Dublin-based Director of the Consular Division in my Department, accompanied also by officials from our Embassy in Cairo. Embassy officials have attended all court hearings so far – another clear demonstration of the importance we attach to this case.
At the most recent hearing on 6 March, the case was adjourned until 29 June, but the court clerk, when announcing the adjournment, indicated that final decisions in the case will be made at the next hearing. While this is encouraging, I would caution against assumptions being made regarding the final time-scale or outcome of this case.
There have been assertions that this citizen could be liable to be given the death penalty if convicted. We raised this very serious point with the Egyptian authorities and we have been advised consistently that there is no possibility of the death penalty being applied in this case on account of the fact that he was a minor at the time of his arrest. Nonetheless, the charges he faces are serious, and potentially carry significant sentences in the event of his being found guilty. Against this background, we continue to make every effort on this citizen’s behalf.
432. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of vacancies which exist within his Department for candidates who must display competence in the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5435/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is not currently carrying any vacancies for officers who must display competence in the Irish language. In fulfilment of our obligations under the Irish Language Scheme, my Department recently recruited an Executive Officer with Irish language skills. This officer is the Department’s dedicated Irish language officer. In addition, as part of our overall customer service commitments, two Clerical Officers from the Irish stream of the Clerical Officer panel have recently been recruited for our Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork.
433. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of any delays in the construction process of a new post-primary school at Maynooth in County Kildare; if the tender process for the school's construction was conducted in a proper manner; if any inadvertent mistakes have been identified with the tendering process that may have caused delays to the final agreement to build; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4707/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra501. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the tendering process for the new Maynooth post-primary school; the details of the tender; the stage the tendering process is at; if a cost-benefit analysis of the project is complete; when construction will commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5222/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 433 and 501 together.
I am not aware of any issues with the tendering process for the new post-primary school campus for Maynooth. The project has been tendered. The Tender Report was recently received and is currently being examined in my Department. Due to commercial sensitivities, I am not in a position to provide details of the tenders. The local Education and Training Board (ETB) is delivering the project and my Department will be in contact with it in relation to further progression on the project when the examination of the Tender Report has been completed. In the meantime, the ETB is carrying out a cost benefit analysis for the project.
434. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills to support an application for the summer works grants 2016-2017 by the Presentation Junior School in Mullingar in County Westmeath. [4710/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question under the Summer Works Scheme. Commensurate with the level of funding available for the Scheme, applications including that from the school concerned, will be assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (0055/2015), is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to publish a list of successful applicants in due course.
435. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the proposed secondary school for the Kinnegad area in County Westmeath. [4748/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from the Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. The outcome of the latest demographic exercises was that in November 2015, I announced that 4 new primary schools and 9 new post-primary schools will open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs. As part of my announcement I noted that a range of areas nationwide, including Kinnegad (Killucan feeder area), are experiencing increased demographic pressure and will be kept under ongoing review.
436. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills to expand the number of places in dedicated schools for children with autism, given the very high demand for such places in north Dublin city (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4753/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism, should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available. The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools and it does not maintain details of waiting lists in schools. Parents can choose to enrol children with autism in an early intervention class from the age of three and where such a placement is not available home tuition may be approved. Children with autism over the age of four may also be eligible for home tuition if a school placement is not available for them. The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE continues to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in particular areas and has capacity to establish such new special classes where necessary subject to the willingness of schools to open classes. I understand that the number of special classes for students with ASD in north Dublin is 86, 16 of which are at post primary level, 59 at primary level and 11 are early intervention classes. The NCSE have advised that SENOs are currently liaising with schools regarding the establishment of further classes in the Dublin city and Dublin North areas for 2016/17 school year.With regards to the particular school referred to by the Deputy, I understand that the school currently has an enrolment capacity for 42 pupils. I have arranged for the Deputy's request for specific detail in relation to placement availability in the school referred to, to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
437. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the independent assessment carried out in January 2016 regarding the condition of the K prefabricated compound in Portmarnock Community School in County Dublin, and given the rapid rate of decline of the building which is six years beyond its protected structural lifespan, to reschedule the redevelopment to an earlier date than the present commencement date of 2019. [4764/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department has acknowledged the condition of the prefabs at the school in question and in that regard a major project to deliver an extension, including the replacement of all temporary accommodation, and refurbishment of the existing school building is included in the 6-year Construction Programme announced in November 2015. The Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to progress all projects concurrently and in that regard, the project for Portmarnock Community School is scheduled to proceed to tender and construction in 2019-2021. The Overall Schedule of Accommodation is currently being finalised and a technical site visit to the school in question will be undertaken in due course. The Department will be in touch with the school shortly in respect of next steps.
438. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for funding by St. Anne's Secondary School on the Rosanna Road in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4766/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for works including the provision of additional school accommodation. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.
439. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for funding by St. Ailbhe's National School in Emly in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4768/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that an application for additional accommodation by the school referred to by the Deputy has been assessed and I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school was approved funding on a devolved basis. This decision has recently been conveyed to the school authority.
440. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools in County Tipperary that have applied for funding for building works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4769/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that under my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme 2016 - 2021, major projects at five schools in County Tipperary are included to go to tender/construction during the lifetime of the Programme. In addition, my Department is currently assessing applications for essential classroom accommodation in a number of schools in County Tipperary. A decision on these applications will be conveyed to the schools in question as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.
441. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the accounts name given by Bus Éireann to its reserve fund, referred to as a piggy bank at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, which represented a surplus of reserves received over the cost of providing the school transport scheme, for each of the years 2005 to 2015, inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4772/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe accounting rules governing Bus Éireann's operation of the Scheme are laid down in the 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements. These Arrangements require Bus Éireann to charge my Department for all direct costs- contractors, fuel, maintenance etc. In line with the Accounting Arrangements, a charge of 13% of certain direct costs is levied to cover all other costs associated with the School Transport Scheme. This is commonly referred to as the School Transport Management Charge. The School Transport Management Charge is used to defray immediate overheads incurred by Bus Éireann in respect of the School Transport Scheme. Any surplus which may remain, after accounting for the overheads referred to earlier is used to provide a reserve for additional expenditure which may be required in connection with the Scheme; this is commonly referred to within the Company as the risk reserve fund. These funds can only be used in respect of the School Transport Scheme. Since 2008 and in view of the serious financial challenges facing the country, Bus Éireann has provided a rebate to the Department of an element of this charge. As of the end of 2014, the latest figures available, Bus Éireann was holding some €7 million in respect of School Transport which was not yet committed to specific projects. It should be noted however that the range of School Transport projects competing for these funds would currently exceed €7 million. The average balance of the risk reserve fund over the period 2005 to 2014 was approximately €6 million.
442. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills to ensure a person (details supplied) receives the necessary full-time special needs assistant support, as outlined by an occupational therapist, when the person starts school. [4777/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating 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. The criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014. Circular 0030/2014 sets out the role of medical/ other professional reports and recommendations by medical/ other professionals in the context of consideration of applications for SNA support by the NCSE. The Circular explains that, while professional reports provide valuable assistance to education providers in identifying a diagnosis or identifying appropriate interventions, responsibility for deciding on the quantum of educational supports and resources to be allocated to schools to support pupils with special educational needs resides with the NCSE through the SENO. All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2016/17 school year by 29th February 2016. SENOs will continue to process applications for access to SNA support which are received after this deadline. Such applications will be processed in the order in which the applications have been received.
It should be noted that SNA allocations are not made to individual children, but are made to schools to support the care needs of children with assessed special educational needs.
The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. Details of the manner in which a school or parent may appeal the level of SNA allocation which has been made to support a child in school, to the NCSE, is set out on the NCSE website. All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, while Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on the NCSE website. As the matter referred to in this question relates to an allocation for an individual child, I will arrange to have the matter referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
