Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

I thank Deputy Michael McGrath for raising this issue. As the Deputy is aware 10,575 special needs assistant posts are available for allocation to schools for the 2012-13 school year. This is the same number of posts available for allocation in the current school year. Therefore, there has been no reduction in the overall number of SNA posts available for allocation in the coming school year. The Government has maintained funding for special education and for SNA support at a time when there has been a requirement to make expenditure savings in range of areas. With equitable and careful management and distribution of these resources it is considered that there will be sufficient posts to provide access to SNA support for all children who require such care and support to attend school in accordance with departmental criteria.

Through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, the National Council for Special Education is responsible for allocating special needs assistants to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support and this includes a requirement for it to have regard to the overall cap on numbers. In the context of the overall limit on the number of SNA posts available, it is necessary for the NCSE to prioritise applications and to distribute SNA resources equitably and efficiently throughout all schools. One of the priority criteria applied in the allocation of SNA posts is to ensure that the minimum SNA to special class ratio is maintained in special schools and special classes.

In the case of the school referred to by the Deputy, a special school for children with autism, I understand it has an enrolment of 24 pupils at present with staffing of one principal and five mainstream class teachers as well as 16 SNAs. This is a total of 22 staff catering for the needs of 24 pupils and equates to an SNA to pupil ratio of 1:1.5 and an overall adult to pupil ratio of 1:1.1. This is an exceptionally high level of support and is considerably in excess of the current recommended SNA ratio for special class groups, including children with autism spectrum disorder, as outlined in the Department of Education and Skills circular 0038/10, that is to say, a ratio of two SNAs per special class group of six children.

The NCSE has advised all schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, of their SNA allocation for the current school year, taking into account the care needs of qualifying pupils attending each school. Schools have been advised to make applications to the NCSE for SNA support for the 2012-13 school year by 16 March 2012. They will be advised of their allocation for the 2012-13 school year by late May or early June 2012 based on the number of valid applications received by 16 March. Therefore, no final SNA allocation for 2012-13 has been made for this school yet. Whereas the NCSE has indicated to the school that based on its current pupil numbers it has four surplus SNA posts, until any applications for potential new entrants for the 2012-13 school year are considered no final determination will be made. I understand the NCSE is due to meet representatives of the school shortly to discuss staffing requirements for the coming school year. The NCSE will advise the school by late May or early June of its SNA allocation for the 2012-13 school year.

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