Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I agree with the Deputy. With regard to SNAs, last year was the first time we held back a 10% quota for emergency cases and late applications. This year we announced on the same day, both the SNA allocation and the resource and special teaching support systems. The practice and the experience from last year is informing us and it is probable we will be able to release more posts in the first round allocations than previously. We did not want a situation to arise whereby we would have no reserves left to fill a bona fide application and the person would be left without an allocation. I am informed by the director general of the NCSE that the incidence of special need, vis-À-vis either SNAs or resource teachers, is levelling off. Therefore, we can do the job effectively with the numbers we have.

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