Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

Tá an-iontas orm faoin méid a bhí le rá ag an Seanadóir, mar ar ndóigh le blianta fada bhí an íocaíocht a bhí na coláistí ag tabhairt i dTír Conaill i bhfad taobh thar den íocaíocht a bhí á dhéanamh i gConamara nó sa deisceart. Go deimhin féin, murach mise agus céim a thóg mise a chur faoi ndeara do na coláistí €1.20 a íoc in aghaidh gach euro ón Roinn bheadh mná tí Thír Conaill i bhfad taobh thiar fós do na mná tí eile ar fud na tíre agus níor cheap mise riamh go raibh sé sin ceart. Ar ndóigh, tuigeann mná tí Thír Conaill murach gur chuir mise iachail ar na coláistí íocaíocht cheart a dhéanamh leis na mná tí ní bheadh an íocaíocht atá acu i láthair na huaire acu.

Maidir leis na SNA's tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go dtuigfidh an Seanadóir go bhfuil tábhachtach oideachais na ngasúir thar a bheith tábhachtach don Rialtas seo. Tá acmhainní nach beag curtha againn isteach sna scoileanna ar fud na tíre agus go mórmhór isteach ag tabhairt tacaíochta do gasúr le riachtanais speisialta. Chaitheadh €1 billiúin taobh istigh den chóras oideachais anuraidh don chúis seo amháin. Leanfaidh scoláirí ar aghaidh ag fáil tacaíochta faoin scéim seo mar a bhí le deich mbliana anuas.

From the outset, I want to emphasise what is really important here. Schools which have enrolled children who qualify for support from a special needs assistant, SNA, will continue to be allocated SNA support. This is happening at the moment. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is processing applications from schools for SNA support.

The SNA scheme has been a major factor in both ensuring the successful integration of children with special educational needs into mainstream education, and providing support to pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes. The SNA scheme will continue to be supported.

The terms and criteria for the SNA scheme have not changed. Déarfaidh mé é sin i nGaeilge. Níor athraíodh ar chur ar bith na téarmaí a bhaineann leis an scéim seo. Where the criteria are met, SNA posts are being allocated. I can assure the House that there is no question of posts being removed from schools where they meet the scheme's criteria. I am sure the Senator would agree that a scheme should be implemented according to its criteria - no more, no less. However, there is also no question of posts being left in schools indefinitely where they are deemed to be surplus to the care needs of the pupils or where the pupils themselves have left. I do not know whether the Senator is trying to justify a system whereby the school retains an SNA even though the pupil for whom the SNA was provided has left the system.

As regards the SNA allocation process, it is important to understand 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. They are increased or decreased as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol in or leave a school. They are also decreased where a child's care needs may have diminished over time.

The Senator will be aware that the NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is responsible for allocating resource teachers and SNAs to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within the Minister's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE is independent in making and issuing its decisions on the allocation of such supports.

The Department of Education and Science requested the NCSE to review all SNA posts because the Department had become aware that a number of SNA posts were in schools where the care needs of the pupils in the schools concerned did not justify such an allocation. Accordingly, the Department asked the NCSE to carry out a nationwide review of all schools to ensure SNA posts were allocated to schools in line with the care needs of pupils and that any excess posts would be withdrawn. The NCSE, through its network of SENOs, is carrying out a review of SNA allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. SENOs are communicating the outcome of the review directly to schools as the review progresses. It is expected the NCSE will have completed the review by the end of March.

The Senator is fully aware that the Department has prioritised the provision of special education supports for schools. This is 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 we ensure public resources are deployed as effectively as possible. If resources are left in an area which are not in accordance with the criteria, it means public resources are not available in another deserving area.

I am sure the Senator shares the Minister's concern that there be consistent application of policy in the allocation of special education supports across the country. That is all that is happening. The Minister can assure the Senator supports will continue to be made available to schools which have pupils who qualify for such supports. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Senator.