Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 841: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will allocate additional special needs assistant posts in primary level and secondary level in 2007; the number of people employed as SNAs at the present time; her plans to increase this number of posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14446/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Special needs assistants (SNAs) are sanctioned by special education needs organisers (SENOs) to schools specifically to assist in the care of pupils and students with disabilities in an educational context. SNAs may be appointed to a special school or a mainstream school to assist school authorities in making suitable provision for children who have been assessed as having such needs. Applications for SNA support are made by schools to the local SENO and the SENO conveys a decision on the application directly to the schools without recourse to my Department.

Significant progress has been made in relation to increasing the number of SNAs in our schools who specifically cater for children with care needs. There are now over 8,600 whole time equivalent SNAs in primary and second level schools supporting children with care needs, compared with approximately 300 in 1998.

I can confirm that I will continue to prioritise the issue of special needs education and, in co-operation with the National Council for Special Education and the education partners, ensure that all children with special educational needs are adequately resourced to enable them to meet their full potential.