Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 439: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the cost in terms of wages and salaries for the provision of special needs assistants in the education service; if SNAs are paid when the school is on holidays; the expected savings to his Department if SNAs were to go on a part time basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43495/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The estimated cost for the provision of special needs assistants in 2008 is €323.5 million. The breakdown is as follows: Primary €267 million; Post Primary €56.5 million.

The purpose of the provision in this Department's Estimates for special needs assistants is to meet the costs of salary, employer's PRSI contributions, substitution and pensions for these staff members in primary and post-primary schools.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports from primary and post primary schools. SNA support is provided specifically to address the care needs of pupils with special educational needs. 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. Posts are sanctioned on either a full or part-time basis depending on the assessed care needs of the pupils. Where part-time hours are allocated, special needs assistants work the appropriate hours and are paid pro-rata to their full-time counterparts.

Full-time and part-time special needs assistants are paid for all school holidays apart from the summer holidays where payment is allowed in certain circumstances. Payment arrangements for special needs assistants for the summer vacation (July and August) are outlined in the following circular.

To the Management Authorities of Primary, Secondary, Community and Comprehensive Schools

Special Needs Assistants Payment Arrangements for July and August Annually

1. Introduction

1.1 The Minister for Education and Science wishes to advise management authorities and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) of the payment arrangements for SNAs for July and August 2008 and subsequent years.

1.2 This Circular replaces Circular Pay 0011/2007 which issued in February, 2007.

2. Arrangements which will apply in July and August 2008

2.1 SNAs who are appointed on or before 07 January 2008, will be paid for the full duration of the 2008 summer holidays.

2.2 SNAs who commence employment on or after 08 January 2008, will be paid up to and including 12 July 2008 irrespective of the date the school closes. They will only be retained on the Department's payroll for the full duration of the 2008 summer holidays if the school management authorities provide the Department's Non Teaching Staff (NTS) Payroll with the following:

a) Documentary evidence from the SENO for the relevant post for the 2008/09 school year, and

b) confirmation that the SNA in question is returning to the post in September 2008.

3. Entitlement to Benefit from the Department of Social and Family Affairs

3.1 SNAs who are not in receipt of salary for the duration of the summer holidays, may have an entitlement to claim benefit from the Department of Social and Family Affairs for this period. SNAs should be advised to contact their local DSFA office for further advice in this regard.

4. Entitlement to Summer Pay from the 2008/09 school year onwards

4.1 SNAs appointed on or before the first school day following the Christmas break will be paid up to and including 31 August.

4.2 SNAs appointed on or after the second school day following the Christmas break will be paid up to and including 12 July.

4.3 The conditions which apply to the payment of salary from 13 July 2008, outlined in Paragraph 2.2 of this Circular, will also apply from the 2008/09 school year onwards.

5. Non Resumption in September

5.1 Management authorities are reminded to inform the NTS Payroll of any SNAs, either full-time or part-time, who are not returning to their posts in September.

5.2 The form 'Notification of Special Needs Assistant Leaving' should be completed and sent to NTS Payroll before 01 August each year. This form can be down-loaded from the Department's website www.education.ie – follow the links to Education Personnel/Special Needs Assistants.

6. Dissemination of Information

6.1 Management authorities are requested to bring the contents of this Circular to the attention of all SNAs in their schools, including those on maternity leave, sick leave etc. and also to the attention of the members of the Boards of Management.

6.2 This Circular should be retained for reference in the school and may also be accessed on this Department's website at www.education.ie – follow the links to Education Personnel/Special Needs Assistants.

7. Queries on this Circular

7.1 If you have any query in relation to this circular please contact the NTS Payroll at 090 648 4136 or e-mail your query to sna_pay@education.gov.ie

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 440: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount spent by his Department in each year over the past five years, including 2008, on the distribution of publications from his Department to schools, teachers, boards of management and others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43496/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The amount spent by my Department on the distribution of publications to schools etc. cannot be separated from the overall cost of postage including bulk postage issued from my Department. My Department's total expenditure on bulk postage, which is the general means of distributing publications, for the years in question is as follows:

2004 — €1,313,203.75

2005 — €1,458,607.33

2006 — €1,652,104.16

2007 — €1,546,530.87

2008 — €1,553,803.54 (to end October)

These figures include the cost of posting a variety of materials to schools and teachers including payslips (approximately 2.1 million payslips are issued annually), publications, circulars etc. It should also be noted that my Department agrees on occasion to circulate relevant materials produced by other organisations to schools, the postage costs given above do not exclusively relate to material emanating from the Department.

My Department regularly reviews its postage arrangements with a view to achieving maximum value for money. In this regard, last year my Department introduced a system of regular bulk mailings to schools in order to avail of discounted rates and to minimise postal costs. In addition, the rollout of the Department's Online Claims System, which enables schools to submit claims electronically to the Department, has resulted in a reduction in postage costs at both Department and school level of approximately €500,000 per annum.

In a further effort to reduce the costs of printing and distribution of publications in 2009 it is now corporate policy within my Department that all publications will be web based and will only be printed and distributed by post in exceptional circumstances.