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

This year is the first time that we have made the allocation of SNAs known to the schools in mid-May. This has been welcomed by schools and by Fórsa, the union representing SNAs, as significant progress in giving greater certainty. We have provided 840 additional SNAs for this coming September, which will bring the figure for additional SNAs in the last three years close to 3,000. We are greatly expanding this.

Of course, in respect of individual schools, the allocation will reflect the children attending the school at the time. That is decided independently by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. The school will have the opportunity to appeal if it is not satisfied with the allocation. Those appeals will be facilitated by the NCSE.

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