Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in respect of the support of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream and special schools. He will also be aware that the NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is carrying out a review of special needs assistant, SNA, allocations in all schools. The purpose of this review is to ensure that all SNA posts meet the criteria governing their allocation, as outlined in my Department's circular 07/02, which states: "Applications for a SNA should be considered where, for example, a pupil has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or to other pupils."

The criteria being applied in the review are those set out in my Department's circulars. There has been no change in these criteria. As part of the review, the NCSE will identify and suppress any surplus posts that do not meet the scheme's criteria, for example, posts that have been retained when a pupil's care needs have diminished or when the pupil has left.

The allocation for any school and any adjustments to that allocation depend on a number of factors, such as the number of pupils with care-medical needs leaving, the number of new pupils, the changing needs of the pupils and any surplus identified. SENOs are communicating the outcome of the review directly to schools as the review progresses. I understand that the council has informed the school in question of the outcome of its review. It is expected that the NCSE will have completed the review by the end of March 2010.

The Deputy is fully aware that I have prioritised the provision of special education supports to schools. This is a new and key Government policy. However, this does not mean that resources allocated in response to various historical factors are retained in schools ad infinitum. At a time of constrained resources, it is essential that we ensure that public resources, both staff and resources, are deployed as effectively as possible. Leaving resources in an area not in accordance with criteria means that public resources are not available for another deserving area.

I am sure the Deputy shares my concern about ensuring a consistent application of policy in the allocation of special needs supports. This is all that is occurring at the moment. There is no question of SNA posts being removed from schools where they continue to meet the scheme's criteria. I can assure the Deputy that supports will continue to be made available to schools that have enrolled pupils who qualify for such support and children with special educational needs will continue to have access to an appropriate education in line with my Department's policy.

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