Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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It is with regret I must raise such a matter in the Dáil. I am referring to the review carried out earlier this year by the Department of Education and Skills of the allocation of special needs assistants, SNAs, to special units in primary and post-primary schools. As a result of the review, a primary school in my constituency, St. Senan's in Enniscorthy, has lost seven SNAs, five from its specialist autism unit and two assigned to children with autism in the mainstream classes. As such, the school believes it was hard done by.

Last Saturday week, I attended a protest march in Enniscorthy where more than 300 parents turned out in frustration at the cutbacks applied by the Department. When the autism unit opened in St. Senan's school in 2004, the Department recognised the special needs of the children and sanctioned SNAs for each child based in classes in the autism unit. Back-tracking and removing SNAs from those children several years later is sad. Parents with whom I spoke explained to me how much their children came on thanks to the SNAs.

As I stated in an earlier debate this evening, the Cabinet and Members opposite do not realise how important an SNA is to a child and how much his or her skills can develop with the help of one-to-one special needs assistance. I have no doubt that this is a cost saving exercise on the part of the Department of Education and Skills. Nor do I doubt that the Department, if it examined its budget and spending, would find other areas in which to apply cost saving measures without touching front line services. The SNAs based in St. Senan's school and many other schools across County Wexford form part of our front line services. They have been removed from children.

Parents and teachers alike would tell the Minister of State about the importance of having an SNA available. The children in question have special and autistic needs. It is sad to see a cost saving exercise being put in place at the expense of a child and that child's future. It is with total frustration and anger that parents took to the streets in Enniscorthy last Saturday week. The parent does his or her very best when his or her child returns from school in the evening. Parents expect a special level of education and a level of help for their children in the schools they attend.

I remember when the then Minister, Deputy Hanafin, visited the autistic unit in St. Senan's school and saw the great work the school was carrying out. I commend the principal, the teachers, the board of management and every parent on putting this excellent facility in place. They have fundraised to make it so. The work done by teachers and SNAs alike is special for the children who attend the school. They had the opportunity to access a proper education, one that recognises the importance of integrating the children in question into the mainstream setting, including its social aspect. These children were made to feel special by being able to attend a mainstream school like St. Senan's in Enniscorthy. With one fell swoop, the Department has saved money and removed SNAs from that school.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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The Deputy's time has expired.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I will conclude on this point. When replying, the Minister of State will give the Government's standard reply. I know that cutbacks must be made, but I would rather that the Department of Education and Skills save money on costs in other areas and not hit the front line service provided by SNAs. Children should be given every opportunity to have a proper education.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Mary Coughlan. I thank the Deputy for giving me this opportunity to outline the position in regard to the special needs assistant, SNA, scheme generally and, in particular, the allocation of SNA support to schools working with children with autism in specialised units.

The House is aware that the education of children with special educational needs has been and remains a key priority for Government. The Department of Education and Skills continues to invest huge resources into schools to enable them to meet the needs of children with special educational needs. This year alone, more than €1 billion of the Department's budget is being spent to provide supports to enable learners with special educational needs access an education appropriate to their needs. The SNA scheme, in particular, has been a major factor in both ensuring the successful integration of children with special educational needs into mainstream education and the provision of support to pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes.

I take this opportunity to assure the House that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is processing applications from schools for SNA support and sanctioning SNA posts to schools. Schools, which have enrolled children who qualify for support from an SNA continue to be allocated SNA support. The terms and criteria for the SNA scheme have not changed.

The Deputy will be aware that the NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENO, is responsible for allocating resource teachers and SNAs to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within the Department of Education and Skills criteria in allocating such support and is independent in the making and issuing of its decisions relating to the allocation of such supports.

It is important to understand in regard to the SNA allocation process that the allocation for any school, and any adjustments to that allocation, depend on a number of factors such as the number of pupils with care-medical needs leaving, the number of new pupils and the changing care needs of existing pupils in the school. SNA allocations are therefore not permanent but are increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. They are also decreased where a child's care needs may have diminished over time. There has been no policy change in this regard.

The Deputy may be aware that one of the reasons for the allocation of SNAs is to assist children to develop greater levels of independent living skills. It is not generally in the interests of a child for the NCSE to leave an SNA in place where a child has achieved a greater level of independence. To do so has the potential to impact on a child's personal development in a negative way. I am sure the Deputy will agree that many children with disabilities develop independent living skills as they grow and mature. Where a child develops to such an extent that he or she no longer needs the support of a SNA, that is a positive development. Likewise, where children to whom SNA support was previously allocated have left a school, it would be inefficient to leave those resources in place.

The Deputy is fully aware that the Department has prioritised the provision of special education supports to schools. This remains a key Government policy. However, this does not mean that resources, allocated in response to various historical factors, are retained in schools ad infinitum. At a time of constrained resources, it is essential to ensure that public resources are deployed as effectively as possible. Resources left in an area that are not in accordance with criteria mean public resources are not available for another deserving area.

The Deputy may be aware that the NCSE has introduced an appeals procedure whereby schools and parents may appeal a decision in relation to the allocation of teaching and SNA resources. Where a school is unhappy regarding a decision in regard to its SNA resource allocation, it is open to the school and-or the parents concerned to appeal the decision of the SENO to the NCSE through this appeals mechanism.

I understand that a number of schools in the Wexford area have appealed the decision of the NCSE in relation to the allocation of supports. These appeals will be processed by the NCSE in line with that body's procedures in this regard.

I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter.