Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 414: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if every primary school in County Donegal will be reviewed by the special educational needs organiser in the near future for assessment of special needs assistants posts; the number of SNAs working in County Donegal; the number of Donegal SNA jobs that will be cut; if the SENO is aware of the importance of SNAs for special needs children; his views on whether it is unfair to sack SNAs who have worked for ten years; the amount of notice which schools receive for reviews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20944/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I take it that the Deputy is referring to the review of all Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts in primary, special and post-primary schools by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

I wish to advise the Deputy that the NCSE has been requested by my Department to arrange for its Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) to review SNA allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. I wish to clarify that there has been no change in these criteria and the current review will be carried out by reference to those criteria. The review is currently underway and it is intended that it will be completed by the end of this school year.

SNAs are sanctioned by 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.

For some pupils, as they mature, their care needs may diminish over time. Pupils may move to a different school or on to a post-primary school. In such circumstances, the NCSE will review and adjust the overall level of SNA support in the school concerned. This may mean that some pupils who had previously been supported by a full time SNA may have their needs met through the shared support of an SNA or perhaps they may have no need for SNA support.

There are currently 459 whole time equivalent SNAs in primary and post primary schools in Donegal. With regard to the review visit to schools, SENOs contact schools by telephone to agree a date. The SENO subsequently sends a letter confirming the date to the schools.

Priority within the budgetary process has been given to allocations for pupils with special educational needs in relation to additional teaching, SNA and other resources (e.g. capital and equipment). Sustaining this priority requires adherence to the criteria underpinning the allocation processes.

Notwithstanding the possibility only a minority of SNA allocations do not meet the set criteria, it is necessary to ensure that the criteria are applied in the case of all schools and in a consistent manner. The proper application of the criteria should ensure equity of treatment as between schools and pupils as well as ensuring that inappropriate allocations are not adversely impacting on other services within the education sector.