Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

First, we are increasing the number of SENOs from 73 to 120 and they will be in place by September this year. I will come back to the Deputy with the exact figure but it is up in the eighties at this point. The 120 will be in place for the coming school year beginning in September 2024. What is really important about the role of the SENOs and the feedback we got from the NCSE was that they were overstretched. They had a very wide geographical area to cover. Their area will now be county-based. We are going to reduce their administrative burden so that they can be on the ground, in schools, meeting parents and children and being more visible. I will come back to the Deputy with the figures but she can be assured the SENOs will be in place for this coming school year.

Regarding Dublin 15 and Dublin 12, the NCSE has increased capacity in those areas. The schools have their own enrolment process as well. It is being worked through on a daily and weekly basis between the NCSE and the schools.

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