Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is responsible for allocating special needs assistants to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of special education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department.

All schools, including these schools, were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2012-13 school year by 16 March of this year. In considering applications for SNA support for the new school year, the NCSE will take into account the individual care needs of all qualifying children, supports freed up due to any school leavers, and the identified care needs of newly enrolled children with special educational needs. Schools will be advised by the NCSE of their SNA allocation for the coming school year by June of this year.

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