Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is responsible for allocating special needs assistants, SNAs, to schools in accordance with my Department's criteria for allocating such support. An additional 860 SNAs will be available for allocation to schools from September 2016, bringing to 12,900 the total number of SNA posts available, at a total annual cost of €425 million. The number of SNA posts has increased by almost 22% since 2011. As such, the number has been increased during the recession in the light of the individual needs to which the Deputy rightly points.

The criteria by which SNAs are allocated to schools are set out in my Department's circular to the committee to which the Deputy referred. The NCSE is not restricted solely to the allocation within the circular and can make additional SNA allocations for classes where necessary and taking into account the needs of individual pupils.

The level of SNA support allocated to a given school can change from year to year as students with care needs leave, new students with care needs enrol, or as students develop more independent living skills as they get older and their care needs diminish over time. It is open to any school to lodge an appeal in respect of the level of SNA support which has been made available via the appeals process available atwww.ncse.ie.

I am asking the NCSE to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the SNA scheme in order to provide better outcomes for students with special needs and to ensure we are making the best additional investment for children with special needs.

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