Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter today. I wish to assure the House that the education of children with special educational needs remains a key priority for this Government. We have been resolutely committed to protecting and, in some instances, increasing the level of investment being made to support children with special educational needs at a time when there has been a requirement to make expenditure reductions across a range of areas. It is an area of spending which has been prioritised above most other areas by this Government, despite the enormous pressures on all areas of public spending. This year alone, over €1.37 billion or 15% 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. As part of budget 2015, the Minister announced that an additional 365 SNA posts will be provided in 2015 to take into account increased demand and demographic growth and to ensure that children can continue to have access to additional supports in school. There is now provision for 11,330 SNA posts in 2015 which is the highest level of SNA provision that we have ever had. These increases, building on increases which have already been provided in recent years, will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs.

I want to take this opportunity to assure the House that schools, which have enrolled children who qualify for support from an SNA, will continue to be allocated SNA support. The House will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, is responsible for allocating resource teachers and SNAs to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within the Department's criteria in allocating such support and these criteria are set out in Department's circular 30/2014.

All schools were asked to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2015-2016 school year by 18 March 2015. The NCSE continued to accept applications after this date in recognition that enrolments may not have been completed or where assessments were not completed. On conclusion of this process, the NCSE evaluated the level of SNAs required to meet the needs of schools for the coming year and advised the Department on the quantum of SNAs that would need to be provided to meet this need. Advice from the NCSE has been received and the Department is working to finalise its consideration of this as quickly as possible. Details of SNA allocations to schools for 2015-2016 will be available on the NCSE website on completion of this process.

The Senator's specific query relates to the allocation of an SNA for an individually named child. It is important this House is aware that SNA allocations are not made to individual children but are made to schools to support the care needs of children with assessed special educational needs, like the example given. I will ask the NCSE to examine the matter and to respond directly to the Senator. I thank her once again for raising this matter and I will make sure it is followed up.