Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 1718: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of special needs assistants employed in County Kildare; the funding provided for such assistants; the plans he has to increase the number of assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30263/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently 414 Special Needs Assistants (whole-time equivalents) employed in schools in County Kildare. Three hundred and fifty four are serving in Primary schools and sixty in Post Primary schools.

The National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools and for reviewing such allocations.

Special Needs Assistants are intended to support children who have care needs arising from a disability. The nature and level of support provided is based on the assessed needs of the individual child having regard to the criteria set out in my Department's circulars.

Special Needs Assistants in primary, voluntary secondary, community and comprehensive schools are employed by the individual school authority and paid centrally on my Department's payroll. In the case of VEC schools, the Special Needs Assistants are employed and paid directly by the VEC concerned. A common salary scale applies across all sectors.