Patrick Costello
Ceist:317. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of each 250 new special needs assistants recruited. [6538/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 20 May 2020
Ceisteanna (317)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department's policy is to ensure that every child who is assessed as needing Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support will receive access to such support.
In 2019, in the region of €1.9 billion was invested in Special Education, nearly one fifth of the overall Education budget. Budget 2020 has provided for 1,064 additional SNAs posts, for allocation in 2020, which will bring the total number of SNA posts in schools to over 17,000 in 2020, an increase of over 60% since 2011. The additional cost of these posts is €13 million and the provisional 2020 total allocation to SNA pay is €602 million.
The pay at entry of a new entrant Special Needs Assistant, inclusive of employer PRSI, is €27,674 so the estimated cost of 250 SNAs would be €6,918,500.