Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is very difficult to measure the educational outcomes from having an SNA in a classroom. I speak from my experience of dealing with SNAs. They are there to provide for care needs and, yes, that will allow a student to be in class more often. However, because the student is in class more often does not mean that better educational outcomes for him or her are due to the SNA. They are due to the teacher and the child’s ability. A child with dyspraxia, Asperger’s spectrum disorder and dyslexia who has access to an SNA to look after his or her care needs will not improve his or her educational attainment. The improvement will happen only because the child is in a mainstream setting and accessing education. I do not know that they can be correlated.