Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on providing permanent positions for special needs assistants who have served a minimum number of years within a particular school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5766/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The allocation of special needs assistant posts warranted in primary and second level schools is reviewed on an annual basis by the local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs). They are employed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The number of special needs assistants employed in a school may be reduced from full-time to part-time or terminated by way of redundancy where the allocation is reduced. The redundancy agreement was finalised with the assistance of the Labour Relations Commission in 2005.

Revised contracts of employment and terms and conditions of employment were also agreed for the SNAs employed in primary and post primary schools in June 2005. The implementation of the terms of the contracts and the conditions of employment agreed in June 2005 is a matter for each individual school authority as the employer of the SNAs concerned. Officials from my Department and representatives of SNAs meet on a regular basis in relation to matters arising from these agreements in line with normal industrial relations procedures. There are no plans at present to revise the agreements reached in 2005.