Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

The Deputy raised SNAs last week in the Dáil. SNAs allocated and SNAs in the schools are different timelines. The question the Deputy asked was at a particular point in time so the allocation might have been made but the SNAs were not in the school. To clarify, at the end of 2024, there were 21,579. From this September onwards - because allocations happen throughout the year - there will be 23,179. That is the 1,600 that were secured in the budget. That is the correct figure. There will be 23,179 in September. Allocations and reviews happen throughout the year but the post is not put in situ until September. That is where we get to the 1,600.