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Special Educational Needs Staff Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2017

Tuesday, 10 October 2017

Ceisteanna (128)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Ceist:

128. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of employing extra special needs assistants for every ten employed. [42837/17]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The initial cost of employing ten additional Special Needs Assistants for one year would be approximately €323,000. This is inclusive of the cost of employers PRSI.

Special need assistants are paid on an incremental salary scale and accordingly the cost of their employment would increase in subsequent years. 

An additional 975 SNA posts have been made available for allocation to schools from September 2017, which is a 7.5% increase to meet the demands for the new school year.  A total of 13,990 SNA posts are now available at a gross annual cost of €458 million.  This is more SNAs than we have ever had previously and will ensure that all children who qualify for SNA support can continue to receive access to such support.  In total, the number of SNAs available has increased by over 32% since 2011, when 10,575 posts were available. 

 As the Deputy may be aware, the NCSE are currently undertaking a Comprehensive Assessment of the SNA Scheme. In this context, I have requested the NCSE to establish a working group, comprising relevant stakeholders, to assist in proposing a better model for providing care supports so as to provide better outcomes for students with special educational needs who have additional care needs. This Working Group has commenced its work and it will run in tandem with the completion of the overall Comprehensive Review of the SNA Scheme.

It is intended that the reports of the Working Group and of the Review will be completed in Spring 2018.

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